Italian Ice
by hallelujahsunrise
Summary: After leaving Forks for an Italian boarding school, Bella returns for her senior year of High School. But things get complicated. Fast. Alec/Bella. Being revised as of 2/24/2012
1. Goodbye

_Italian Ice_

_This chapter has been revised as of 2/24/2012  
_

**Summary: After leaving Forks for an Italian boarding school, Bella returns for her senior year of High School. But things get complicated. Fast. Alec/Bella. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight Saga, or any characters I may use. Everything belongs to the lovely Stephenie Meyer.**

**A/N: All translations for the Italian language used in this piece can be found at the top and bottom of each chapter. Please note that I am using an online translator for these translations, and I cannot speak this language. If you spot an error in my translations, feel free to tell me so I can fix it, and make this story the best it can possibly be.**

**Al diavolo questo! :: To hell with this!**

**Papà, calmati. :: Dad, calm down.**

* * *

_Goodbye_

I sit on the curb, silent, next to Angela. Her mother was always late for everything, it was just how she was. We were both quiet, continually checking my watch. We didn't want to be late for our movie. At this rate, it seemed we'd be lucky if we made it for the credits.

We're very quiet, not wanting to attract the notice of Edward Cullen, and Jessica Stanley, who are waiting a bit away, chatting animatedly. Jessica is giggling and blushing, could she make it anymore obvious? Even I, with no knowledge of romantic endeavors, know she's totally into him. Angela fixates on some point in the distance, and we stand up, thinking we see her mothers mini-van. But the vehicle drives right on past the school's driveway, and we sit down disappointed. As Angela sit down though, her noisy clogs hitting the pavement tickle Jessica's ears, and she and Edward look up. She whispers something; after I see her eyes wander to the wallet hanging out of Angela's book bag.

I look at Angela, and she's noticed what's about to happen too. But Jessica and Edward have already begun approaching us.

"Got any spare change?" Edward says crassly, holding out a calloused hand.

"No, we don't." Angela answers a little too quickly, and Jessica narrows her eyes at her menacingly.

"What's that?" Jessica spits, reaching out a hand, landing it possesively on the white wallet.

"Don't!" Angela cries, slapping away Jessica's hand shyly, but angrily.

"Back off." I whisper, picking up the only defensive object available, my math textbook.

"Yeah. Like you'd actually do that," Edward says cooly. "Don't want to break any rules, right?" He snatches the book from hands, and hits Angela with the edge of it in the stomach.

Angela drops her wallet with a painful _oof, _falling down,and Jessica picks up the wallet.

"And you're not telling that retard twin of yours, Emmett, a thing." Edward says, as Jessica plucks thirty dollars almost daintily, as if it were the ladylike thing to do, from the wallet.

Edward takes a pocketknife from his pocket quickly. "Just to make sure." He cackles, and he slashes me across the cheek then, and the two run off quickly in their sneakers. I cry out in pain, falling down and cradling my cheek, blood staining my hands. I smell the coppery scent and almost throw up.

Several minutes later, Angela's mother finally arrives in that damned minivan. When she sees my face, Angela trying to stop the blood flow with a book cover, she gasps, hand against her heart, awestruck.

* * *

"This is crazy!" Charlie says, slamming his fist against the table, later that night. A nurse at the hospital had bandaged my cheek, but I wouldn't talk about who did it. "Stealing lunch money, Angela's broken glasses, but this, this is enough!" Charlie continues in his fit of rage, and Emmett watches quietly, head held high. He doesn't know a thing about it, even though it's his best friends who are doing it.

"_Al diavolo questo!_" He yells slipping into Italian angrily, banging his fist against the table violently, and I shudder.

"_Papà, calmati._" I say, quietly, resorting to Italian. Charlie's family was Italian, and Emmett, Charlie and I had all grown up speaking it. One of the first things that brought people's attention to me in school was my accent.

"Bella, this is enough. I know you hate it too." Charlie says, his voice slipping down a couple decibels, as he moves over to grip my shoulders sadly.

I nod, silent, wanting to know what he was getting at, having no idea myself. I hope this isn't something crazy.

"I'll send you to the school in Volterra. The one I went too." Charlie decides after a moments pause. I open my mouth in obvious shock, unsure if I'm pleased with this new development, because boarding school was something I always dream of as a kid or totally scared, because boarding school meant richer, smarter, more resourceful kids. But it also means a new start...

The next week, over breakfast, Charlie tells us that I've been admitted. He tells me over and over he can pay the tuition just fine, but I'm not entirely sure. I don't think you can always make a lot as chief of police, especially in a tiny town like Forks.

I can go at the start of next term, eleven weeks to go. Charlie's already booked plane tickets, and I can't wait.

In the hall ways, Emmett grips my shoulder and whispers "Stay safe, okay?" Before lumbering of toward the special education classrooms. Angela comes up to me, and begs to know what's happening now. "You've been to quiet, what's your dad decided?" She asks.

I explain how Charlie has enrolled me in a boarding school. "Where?" she begs to know, shaking my shoulders desperately, her mouth in a perfect little "o."

"Italy." I whisper, quietly so only she can hear, I don't want anyone to hear the news. The last thing I need is an assault from some snotty girl, saying that I can't possibly be attending a boarding school, I'm too much white trashy.

"Oh my god." Angela says, her voice stressing each word seperately. She's in shock, and I don't blame her. I feel a flash of remorse, I'm pretty sure I'm her only friend.

"Don't worry, I'll write." I say, pulling my hair behind my ears as I eye the clock. We have plenty of time.

"You better." She shakes her finger at me, and I laugh. as we walk together to our first class, trying to ignore the glances of our classmates, trying to get a good look at my still battered cheek.

* * *

Eleven weeks later, with lots tearful goodbyes—alright, maybe three, being Emmett, Charlie and Angela, I board the plane. I sit down quietly, and an elderly couple sits next to me, who have brought books they immediately open, ignoring the loud speaker. As the plane begins to take off, I dig into my bag, remove a book Charlie had recently bought me, _Wuthering Heights_, and begin reading, but before I can get into it, I look out the window happily. "Goodbye Forks." I whisper almost inaudibly, at a sound level no human could register. I look back to my book and begin reading, occasionally putting my hand against the bumpy scar.

When I land in Volterra, Italy, its close to ten at night. I've gotten through and out of the airport, when I hear a noise that sounds suspiciously like a body hitting the ground in an alleyway.

I spin around, and see an older man on the ground, stilled in silence. There's a teenage boy there, and in the slight illumination of the street lamp, I can see he's very beautiful. He has dark brown hair, and he's just a little taller than me, maybe fifteen years old, but his mannerisms, they make him seem so much older... He suddenly jerks his head up to stare up at me with startlingly glowing red eyes and I promise myself they're an illumination. The older man's eyes snap open, as he tries to orient himself suddenly. The teenager glides closer to me slowly, and I take a step backwards, nervously gripping on the leather of my suitcases.

I can see him better now. His eyes are definitely a piercing red, and his face is distorted in strange concentration. I promise myself I must be dreaming, and this is just a strange nightmare I'm having because I've never flown in a plane before, and we're still somewhere near France. He suddenly slams his foot against the ground. I hear him say angrily, "Jane, she won't desensitize."

A girl who looks extraordinarily like him, suddenly appears out of the shadows. She closes her eyes when she is next to the other, and opens them angrily a second later. "I can't do anything!" She says, before cursing angrily.

"We'll take it Aro." The boy says decidedly, taking a step closer to me. My hands start to sweat, and I almost faint, seeing the deadly look in their eyes.

"That would be an excellent idea," Says the girl, as she advances too.

* * *

**Al diavolo questo! :: To hell with this!**

**Papà, calmati. :: Dad, calm down.**


	2. Volturi

_Italian Ice_

_This chapter has been revised as of 2/24/2012_

**A/N: All translations for the Italian language used in this piece can be found at the top and bottom of each chapter. Please note that I am using an online translator for these translations, and I cannot speak this language. If you spot an error in my translations, feel free to tell me so I can fix it, and make this story the best it can possibly be.**

**Qual è il tuo nome? :: What is your name?**

**Parli inglese? :: Do you speak English?**

**Sì. :: Yes**

**Ciao, sono Cara! :: Hi, I'm Cara!**

**Il mio nome Isabella. Call me Bella. :: My name's Isabella. Call me Bella.**

**Ti piace la nostra scuola? Questo deve essere un grande cambiamento in America!:: Do you like our school? This must be a big change from America!**

**Lo amo così lontano. L'Italia è molto piacevole. :: I love it so far. Italy is very nice.**

**Che cosa è successo alla tua guancia? :: What happened to your cheek?**

**Shh, Shh, non abbiate paura. :: Shh, Shh, don't be afraid.**

* * *

_Volturi_

I am about to scream when a gag is stuffed in my mouth from nowhere. It feels leathery, and it must be someone's gloves. Someone holds my hands together behind my back, their grip is stone hard and their skin is white cold, and then we're moving, so fast that everything is only streaks on the empty street, and this goes on for several minutes, and I feel woozy from the movement, and I thought airplanes were bad.

When I'm put down, and the gloves are freed from my mouth, I fall over onto my knees and vomit all over the ground. Only then, when I look up, do I realize I'm in a room, surrounded by beautiful people. They are all looking at me from faces that range from confusion to annoyance, and I've still got a dribble of vomit on my chin. I'm good at this first impressions thing.

I turn my head and see three men on thrones. They are all very pale, there skin looks almost brittle. They have large, almost filmy red eyes. The only differences is hair color, and it barely is one. Two men have jet black hair, the ones on the right and middle. The man on the left has icy white hair. The white haired man looks cool and mean, for lack of better words, the man in the middle looks vaguely confused, and the one on the right looks bored, disinterested. Just a regular day for him.

The middle one speaks first. "Jane, Alec, why have you brought her here?" He says, his voice light in interest.

"Our powers don't work on her." The girl speaks, and she sounds confused and very irritated. The boy nods his head, warily looking in the middle ones direction, as if he's waiting for some kind of storm.

"Hmm…" He says, before standing and walking toward me, and taking my hand. His skin is hard, but feels almost flaky. He looks perplexed now. "_Qual è il tuo nome?_" He asks in the mother language of the country.

"_Isabella Swan._" I say quickly, nervously.

"_Parli inglese?_" He asks, noticing the English inflections in my name.

"_Sì._" I say, trying to be as cooperative with this strange, dangerous man, as all my instincts twitch within me, and they want one thing. For me to run.

"Where are you from?" He asks inquiringly.

"Forks, Washington State." I answer obediently.

"Why are you here? Alone?" He asks, and he no longer seems interested, but he doesn't sound accusing, either. Just going through the motions.

"I was going to hail a taxi too my new boarding school." I say emotionlessly. I feel almost intruded upon, telling this man my secrets.

"Where is your school?" He asks, and his expression has dropped stone cold. He's frightening, his presence light, but the air quivers in fright.

"Volterra, Italy." I say, and he approaches me. Wordlessly, he grips my hand, and his hands are frighteningly cold. He drops my hands in frustration after a moment. H puts his hands against his head, irritatedly.

"You are too young to change. You will speak of nothing, understand?" He says, and my mind screams, what does he mean, _change_? I nod my head, unsure of what was happening, it just seems the safest option.

"You will go to your boarding school now. I see Jane has your bags. We will summon you by the end of the week." The man decides, and I'm led away.

The girl, Jane I guess, took hold of my arm, leading me down the stairs. She takes me into a garage, filled with fancy new cars. I wasn't really paying attention as she shoved me into the passenger seat of one as we drove off.

* * *

The next morning, I don't dwell on what I've learned. I'm looking at the white ceiling of the room, when my roommate introduces herself. She's really pretty, and clearly Italian.

"_Ciao, sono Cara!_" She says in a bubbly voice, clasping her hands together, grinning wildly, seeming very excited with my presence.

"_Il mio nome Isabella. Call me Bella._" I say kindly, overwhelmed by this girl's irritatingly happy personality.

"_Ti piace la nostra scuola? Questo deve essere un grande cambiamento in America!_" She says, still happy, even with my nonenthusiasm.

"_Lo amo così lontano. L'Italia è molto piacevole._" I say, before getting dressed quickly, might as well not get used to privacy...

* * *

All my classes are spoken in Italian, and I've been placed in French for foreign language. I wish it could have been English, but Charlie apparently didn't agree.

I loved the boarding school. People were quite nice, though nosy, seeing as I'd probably go stark raving mad if someone asked, "_Che cosa è successo alla tua guancia?_" again.

I'd forgotten all about the strange encounter, and passed it off as a dream in the end, my memory of it was so fuzzy, by Friday morning.

That was, until Friday afternoon, when I was sitting in the school's courtyard, alone. When someone shook the wire fence.

There was two cloaked figures as I looked over, in huge gray cloaks. They lowered their hoods tentatively, and I saw Jane's face, an emotionless expression on her face, as usual, it seems. "Aro summons you. Go to the gate. Now." She says, her voice icy cold, and then they're gone. I quietly pad to the gate, making sure no notice has been taken of me, and a cold hand grips my wrist. She whisks me into a car, and I hear her say "Step on it, Felix."

When we get back, I'm shoved back into the throne room, and the man who was in the middle, stands there, this time out of his throne, while the others sit there, both seeming disgruntled, and a garish, rather large smile rests on the standing man's face.

"Hello, dear Isabella!" He says enthusiastically when we stop moving. "What a pleasure it is to see you again!" He says giddily, stepping closer, and he grips my cheek, as if I were a child. It hurts, but I don't protest.

"Aro, get to the point." The one with the blonde hair growls, tapping his shoe against the floor, as if he has better things to be doing.

"Alright, alright, Caius." He sighs, before staring right at me. "Isabella, what have you gathered about us?" He asks.

I search my mind, and find a burst of images. "Beauty-" I say, when I remember seeing the boys face for the first time. "Speed-" Jane and the boy running. "Strength-" Jane holding me with ease. "Um…Eyes," I say, glancing up at Aro's misty red ones. "Hard skin-" Aro's hand, holding mine. "Cold skin-" I say, remember how cold Jane's hand had been on my wrist. I close my mouth, and look at the floor.

"And what have you thought of this information, Isabella?" The man says, his hands having floated down to rest on my shoulders, still making me feel infantile.

"Nothing, sir." The sir seemed like a good touch, I didn't want to offend the man, but he looked at me funny.

"You have absolutely no idea?" He said in a curious voice.

"I didn't dwell on it."

"She knows too much." The white-haired one, Caius, broke in. "She'll expose us." But still, I didn't even know anything.

"I don't agree, Caius. She hasn't even thought of her last experience till now! And imagine her future!" Aro says, looking at me like I was a bag of gold. I had no idea what they were talking about, and my stress levels were rising by the second.

"Fine! But don't say I didn't warn you!" Caius says angrily.

Aro looked at me again. "You honestly have no idea?" He pressed on.

"No, I don't." I say, hanging my head, almost feeling ashamed.

Aro pulled up my head to look at me with his hand, and mouthed a single word. "Vampires." I took a step back, and bumped into a large, burly man. I screamed then. I wanted to run, but my feet refused to work, my body stilled in shock.

"_Shh, shh, non abbiate paura._" Aro said quietly, slipping into the calming language of my childhood. "We have no intentions of hurting you. Not a one." He said, and my breathing slowed.

"I am Aro." He said gesturing to himself, as if I were an idiot. "That is Caius." He said, pointing to the white haired one. "There is Marcus," He spoke calmly, gesturing to the one who had hair like his own.

"Behind you is Felix, and Jane brought you here. Soon, very soon, you will have the pleasure of meeting the rest of the guard."

* * *

**Qual è il tuo nome? :: What is your name?**

**Parli inglese? :: Do you speak English?**

**Sì. :: Yes**

**Ciao, sono Cara! :: Hi, I'm Cara!**

**Il mio nome Isabella. Call me Bella. :: My name's Isabella. Call me Bella.**

**Ti piace la nostra scuola? Questo deve essere un grande cambiamento in America!:: Do you like our school? This must be a big change from America!**

**Lo amo così lontano. L'Italia è molto piacevole. :: I love it so far. Italy is very nice.**

**Che cosa è successo alla tua guancia? :: What happened to your cheek?**

**Shh, Shh, non abbiate paura. :: Shh, Shh, don't be afraid.**


	3. Burgundy

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight Saga, or any characters I may use. Everything belongs to the lovely Stephenie Meyer.**

**Summary: When Forks Middle School doesn't stop people bullying Bella, Charlie sends her to his old boarding school in Volterra, Italy. How will the bullies react when Bella returns for her senior year?**

**A/N: I do not speak Italian, and I am using an online translator. If you speak Italian and spot any errors, let me know. Italian translations will be at the top of each chapter. **

**A/N: Thanks for every review, every alert, and every favorite. I check out everyone's profile and respond if I can. This was a difficult chapter, but reviews made it so much **_**easier **_**knowing someone appreciated the fruits of my labor.**

_Burgundy_

The 'guard' as Aro put it did arrive soon after, looking kind of confused. "Why is she back?" A tall, leggy woman with dark hair like mine says.

"I believe you all remember Isabella!" He said loudly, grinning ear to ear.

There are mutual nods and "mhmms," from the guard, along with many perplexed expressions, and confused muttering of unheard words.

"I thought it be suitable to introduce her, don't you agree?" Silence. "I mean, with her future and all," Aro said, still smiling wickedly. "I want you all to introduce yourselves before Isabella goes back to her school. Understood?"

"Yes, Master." All of them say in a monotone, some looking angry, others bored, some kind of happy, as if excited by a new face.

People came up in almost and order, introducing themselves quickly. In the blur of all the names, a few stood out in my mind. A woman named Heidi, the one who had questioned my return, Alec, the boy from the alley, and Felix, the one who seemed to be without a gift, but seemed to make it up with brute strength. I actively work to keep names straight, and they find my forgetfulness charming. Apparently, vampires have photographic memories.

All of them had blood red eyes. You know when you slap a mosquito that bit you, and you get blood on your hand, it's the purest red for a moment, before it darkens from the air? Their eyes were just like that. I'm not an idiot, I know vampires drink blood. They were probably… hunting… when I'd stumbled upon them. But their magnificent, burgundy eyes were as if all the blood they drank went straight to their irises.

Some were different shades of red then the magnificent burgundy I'd seen on Alec and Aro in particular. Some where almost black and I noticed their labored breathing when they introduced themselves. Perhaps the darkened eyes meant they were thirsty, and I felt a tingle up my spine as I felt this.

After this first meeting, someone would pick me up every Friday, at exactly 3:30. I would spend time in the castle, learning, and being heavily watched for any peculiar behavior that might point to them I had spoken of their secrets.

Although I tried to befriend everyone, most chose to stay on speaking terms only, which was something I didn't really understand.

Strangely enough, Jane and Alec became my closest friends, even though when we met, they wanted to suck my blood down. Jane was quite irritable and formal. Alec was kinder, but every once in a not so great while, he would become as if he was speaking to Aro.

Upon finishing my junior year (with high honors, I daresay. The Volturi made excellent tutors.) I received a startling eMail from Charlie. We'd dropped out of communication about a year ago, and the eMail caught me off guard.

_Bells, _

_Emmett and I were wondering if you could come back to Forks for the next school year. We really miss you, and we could lose you forever if you don't come back now. Please. I trust those who bullied you have matured now. I really miss you Bells, and want you too take this last opportunity. Your going to an Italian college of course, I know you love Italy. But then you'll meet a Italian boy and I'll lose my baby girl forever. So please Bells, come to Forks._

_With love, Dad_

_P.S. Emmett says hi. Apparently it's a hilarious joke, as he's 'LOLing' as you young people put it. You may also put this: ;)_

Go back to Forks? I'd never though of the possibility. It wasn't something I liked to think about, and the thought of Forks made me angry, especially because every morning when I got ready for the day, I'd have to look in the mirror and see the ugly, dark X across my cheek that refused too fade. I'd taken too covering it with concealer, and people had taken not to asking about it. People only thought I'd been bullied. They didn't know that scar was the reason I came.

I knew he put up some great points. People would've matured. With a sudden tug against my heart, I realized I wanted too, and needed too; see Emmett and Charlie before I began my eternity as a member of the Volturi guard. I brought the idea to Aro immediately, calling him on the iPhone the Volturi generously gave me. The symbol of the Volturi engraved in the back. I put covers on it, because people tended to ask questions.

"Yes, Isabella?" His voice came over, the phone, curious. I seldom called him. He refused to call me Bella, insisting on formalities. I checked over my shoulder, and found my roommate wasn't here, so I'd have to use formalities.

"Master, I wish to spend my senior year in Forks." I say slowly, not trusting my voice.

"Forks?" Aro sounds startled, I'd always spoken of the tiny town with such hate.

"I need to see Charlie and Emmett again." I say.

"Mmm." Aro murmurs, and I remain silent. "Alright, but I will be sending one of the guard with you. How about Alec? You two are good friends, and I need to keep Jane right now."

"That's fine." I say, happy, because I knew one of the Guard would go with me, happy it would be a friend.

"See you soon Isabella. I presume Charlie will book a ticket? Ask if he doesn't, of course."

Then, he hangs up. I eMail Charlie back, and he quickly responds, saying he's already booked my ticket, my flight is in mid-August.

Alec has booked his ticket too, out of the limitless Volturi funds. We'll part as we get off the plane of course, Charlie can't see us getting off together. We get on, and the flight attendant speaks quickly in Italian, then in shaky English, that we are going to New York and to please enjoy our flight. We'll catch a connection to Seattle at that point, up too the tiny Port Angeles airport, and Charlie will be waiting there, for me.

As I doze off on the flight, I can still feel Alec watching me with his bright red, burgundy eyes.


	4. Scar

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight Saga, or any characters I may use. Everything belongs to the lovely Stephenie Meyer.**

**Summary: When Forks Middle School doesn't stop people bullying Bella, Charlie sends her to his old boarding school in Volterra, Italy. How will the bullies react when Bella returns for her senior year?**

**A/N: I do not speak Italian, and I am using an online translator. If you speak Italian and spot any errors, let me know. Italian translations will be at the top of each chapter. **

**A/N: This chapter came out like butter. Hope you enjoy it! This is a very long chapter, in my opinion. For me, anyways.**

**Come sta il tuo italiano, Bella? : How's your Italian, Bella?**

**Perfezionato. : Perfected.**

**Io non lo sapevo! : I didn't know that!**

**Consente di parlare italiano per farli pensare che gli immigrati fanno fede ESL. : Lets speak Italian to make them think we are authentic ESL immigrants.**

**Grande idea. : Great idea.**

**Ho sentito alcuni tizi dire che avevo rubinetto. : I heard a couple guys say "I'd tap that."**

_Scar_

"Bella!" Charlie's gruff, rough voice sounds out as soon as I've lost Alec in the throng. I spot Charlie, and grin. He's grown a mustache, but otherwise looks mostly the same.

I give him a one-armed hug, gripping my carry-on, a bookbag. "Do you want to know what I still have?" I ask, smiling wickedly.

Charlie tilts his head in expectance. I dig into the back pack, and remove Wuthering Heights, the copy he gave me when I was thirteen. "Wow, Bells!" Charlie says, astounded that I still have it.

We trundle out of the airport together, out of things to say already.

Halfway to Forks, Charlie speaks up. "Come sta il tuo italiano, Bella?"

"Perfezionato." I respond, and we delve back into the now comfortable silence.

We reach Forks, and Charlie tells me Emmett's spending the date with his girlfriend.

"Io non lo sapevo!" I say. "Who?" I beg to know.

"Rosalie Hale."

Of course I don't approve, Rosalie Hale and her cousin who lived with her were probably the richest people in school. She always used to make loud comments to me about if I were worth anything, I could get some cool stuff. The sleek, premium credit card Aro gave me suddenly feels red hot in my pocket.

"Um… wow." I force out. I don't want too ruin Emmett's relationship. That's just not a good idea.

I go up to my room, and unpack my suitcases. I open the window even though it's raining, there's no screen and I knew Alec would be around in the woods somewhere. I start sifting through the clothing Jane and Heidi had deemed "The-Unacceptable-Forks-Acceptable". Scarves, and my few long-sleeved shirts. Jeans. Sneakers. I force it all into the closet, bit by bit, and line the four pairs of shoes I brought here along the bottom. I make a mental note too buy some rain boots too.

As I'm walking to the bathroom with my toiletries, I hear the front door open. I pause and hear two unfamiliar voices. One of them is quieter. The louder one says, "I love you too, babe." And then a silence, and then the door slams shut. I put my bag in the bathroom and calmly walk down the stairs.

"Emmett?" I ask, when I get down and see somebody taking off a pair of Nike sneakers. He's got a shaved head, a more matured-Emmett face, and large muscles. And he's tall. I don't have a clue how that happened, because Charlie and our mom, Renée, are both short, like me.

"Bells?" He says, in the same questioning tone.

"Well, yes, why would someone vaguely like your twin be in the house anyways?"

"Well, y'see, with this whole oxygen cut off from brain during birth thing kind of made me not the brightest crayon in the box."

"Whatever."

I make dinner that night, too say thanks. It's polite, you know? Apparently I make good hamburgers.

After that, I go upstairs, and find Alec waiting for me.

"How's the idea of _school, _agreeing with you?" I tease, and he smiles.

"Just fine. I think, anyways. If anything starts to go wrong, I'll desensitize the classroom and run."

"Because your sudden disappearance is questionable at all."

"Shut it."

The next day, the insistent beeping of the detested common alarm clock wakes me at six. I jump in and out of the shower, dry myself, and make it back to my room in record time.

Then the question looms… What to wear?

I'm not a big fashion fiend or anything, but I care about how I look. I don't want to look like a goon, and I'm not fashionably inclined. Finally, I try to take it easy, with designer jeans and a flowy top. I only put on a touch of make-up, Heidi would be mad if I didn't. I slip on some shoes and trot downstairs.

Emmett's waiting. He says Charlie has a surprise for me. I raise my eyebrows, and go outside. Next to Emmett's Jeep and the Cruiser, Charlie has a sheet draped over a small car.

"I had some friends help me pay." He says. "They adored you when you were little."

I blush. "Thanks Charlie," I say, and Charlie lifts the sheet. Its some kind of sports car, not the newest, but it looks nice.

"Wow!" I say, stunned.

"Your welcome. I didn't think you wanted people knowing right away. Remarkably, nobody knows a thing about you. All anyone's heard about 'cha in the gossip wildfire is there is a new student."

"What do people know about Isabella Swan?" I ask, nervous.

"Isabella Swan is the chief's daughter and Emmett Swan's twin sister. She got bullied badly, and she moved to Italy to study abroad, and she'll probably be there forever." _How true._

"Awesome." I say, touching the concealer on my cheek.

"Go eat breakfast now, or you'll be late." Charlie says, walking to the cruiser before driving away.

I chomp down some cereal, and get in the car, putting on some aviators for fun. Of course I don't need them.

Emmett leaves first. With him safely ahead, I stop at the curb for a moment. Alec opens the door, and is in too quickly for my senses to notice.

"Thanks for the ride." He grins, patting the leather interior. "Old man's got some money on him." He remarks, offhandedly.

"Yes, because you are _very, very _young!" I react to the old man comment. I knew Jane and Alec had been saved by Aro from being burned as witches in the fourteenth century.

"Whatever. Just drive the damn car." He says, annoyed. "I don't want to be late for my first ever day of school."

I drive toward the school, and a couple people look at the car. I park it an area designated as "STUDENTS PARKING LOT" on the opposite side of the lot from Emmett's Jeep.

We get out, and people stare at us. I say loudly to Alec, "Consente di parlare italiano per farli pensare che gli immigrati fanno fede ESL."

"Grande idea!" He responds, with equally exaggerated sound. Only Emmett would have a clue what we're saying, and he's nowhere to be seen. I laugh, and Alec grins. The thing is, Forks doesn't have Italian as foreign language, and the Swan's are the only Italian family.

Alec and I walk to the office, clutching forms we had been giving. A women name-tagged Ms. Cope says, "hello," and doesn't seem too notice us much.

"We are new students," I say sweetly.

"Oh!" Ms. Cope says. "Your names?"

"Isabella Swan," I respond.

"Alec Volturi."

Ms. Cope gasps when she hears my name, and half the town will know I'm back by lunch time, I'm sure.

"Well, have all your teachers sign this paper- ah, here's yours Alex," Ms. Cope says, before waving us out with our schedules. They are exactly the same, and I have a feeling they were rushed.

**1****st**** Period: **Senior French : _Madame Vendez_

**2****nd**** Period: **Calculus : _Mrs. Carter_

**3****rd**** Period: **English : _Mr. Tu_

**4****th**** Period: **Global : _Ms. Lake_

**5****th**** Period: **Lunch

**6****th**** Period: **Gym : _Mrs. Penn_

**7****th**** Period: **Chemisty : _Mr. Banner_

"To Spanish?" Alec says, holding out a hand goofily.

"As you wish." We stop at our lockers along the way, depositing our bags, and rushing to the little building.

We go into the already cramped classroom, and show the teacher our slips. She doesn't give seats and there clearly assigned, so we wait for Madame Vendez to get us some materials.

Alec whispers in my ear, "Ho sentito alcuni tizi dire che avevo rubinetto."

"Shut up." I barely whisper, slapping his arm.

"Ah!" Madame Vendez suddenly. "Good, we do have enough textbooks. Just take those two seats in the back, please."

We move to the back, eyes following us the whole way. I feel safe in the back; everyone is concentrating on Senora's lesson.

By lunch time, I'm recognizing a few faces besides Alec's and Emmett's in classes.

We sit down at any empty table in the back, and get a few peoples attention. Not that we wanted it. God no. Jessica, I recognize her, and Lauren come, eyes on Alec, and I feel almost jealous. But I fight it.

Jasper Hale, Rosalie's cousin, sits with us, too, and with him comes Alice, Edward's brother, who I know is a junior. Jasper and Alice always looked on, never really approving of there family. But they didn't do anything, either.

When Jessica sits down, she asks my name. "Isabella." I say in my Italian accent, and she looks at me a little funny. "And Isabella would like you to leave." I say in third person, scowling.

"Hey, I just wanna make friends, y'know?" She lies smoothly.

"I want you to go." I say, face tough even though I'm terrified.

"Maybe I won't."

"Please leave," Alec speaks up. "Bella does not want to talk to you." Then, I can tell he's acting on impulse, he takes a damp finger from water and runs it over my cheek, ruining my concealer.

Jessica's mouth makes an "O" that would in any other situation be hilarious. But it isn't right now. Tiny Alice gasps.

On my cheek, is a big, rough, mask of dark skin in an uneven X, on display to the entire school, because I didn't bring any concealer.


	5. Football Team

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight Saga, or any characters I may use. Everything belongs to the lovely Stephenie Meyer.**

**Summary: When Forks Middle School doesn't stop people bullying Bella, Charlie sends her to his old boarding school in Volterra, Italy. How will the bullies react when Bella returns for her senior year?**

**A/N: I do not speak Italian, and I am using an online translator. If you speak Italian and spot any errors, let me know. Italian translations will be at the top of each chapter. **

**A/N: Thank you for reviews, favorites, and alerts. Hope the wait wasn't unbearable, I'm having dress rehearsals right now. Yeah, this chapter sucks.**

**Data di ladro! : Date stealer!**

**Non proprio, naturalmente. Non credo che potrei essere responsabili delle vostre mucchio di cenere. : Not really, of course. I don't think I could be responsible for your pile of ashes.**

**Come è stato il cattivo odore? : How bad was the smell?**

**Bare grado. Incase non hai notato, viviamo in una città infestata da voi creature. : Bare able. Incase you haven't noticed, we live under a city infested with you creatures.**

**Ti senti bene? : You feel okay?**

**tempi Fantastico, Bella! Il gioco appena concluso! : Fantastic timing, Bella! The game just ended!**

_Football Team_

"That was really, really stupid." I say, in a dangerous tone that has made wiser men run. (Like hell.)

Alec flinches, and scoots away.

Lauren is whispering in a rushed voice, and I can't hear anything that it means. But Alec certainly can. He's looking at them with a practiced angry Volturi guard look. Oh my. Jasper and Alice awkwardly stand up, and back away with apologetic eyes. I kick Jessica in the ankle under the table, and she clenches her teeth. "Bitch." She says quietly, before leading Lauren away.

When they're a safe distance, Alec snorts. "Data di ladro!" he says loudly, and I giggle.

"Shh," I whisper. "Whatever. I don't need a boyfriend anyways. I've got the best best friend in the world!" I say, giving Alec a hug he playfully pushes away. But then I wonder if I do want something more… nah.

I see Emmett looking at us, before saying something to his friends. He walks over. "Bells, do you know this guy?"

"Umm… Yeah. His family owns some land in Forks, and he goes too my boarding school." I lie.

"I see." Emmett said. "Just be careful, okay, and your too young for a boyfriend."

"Whatever Emmett. Go back to you friends," I say. "Shouldn't associate with me." I mutter, when he's too far away to hear.

"It's okay Bella. All the guys say your hot," Alec says, wrapping an arm around my should. The cold skin in contact with the back of my neck makes me shiver.

"Aww, Bella, don't think you'd toughened up on that by now?" Alec says playfully removing his arm.

"The back of a humans neck is particularly sensitive, seeing as it is the base of the spine."

"You kill me, Bells."

"Non proprio, naturalmente. Non credo che potrei essere responsabili delle vostre mucchio di cenere."

Alec rolls his eyes.

In gym class, I make a right-old fool of myself. I trip and fall, and everyone seems to laugh cruelly at me at some point, and I'm almost happy Chemistry is next, even though I hatey hate hate science.

When I get there, there is only two vacancies. Alec and I glance at each other, and I wince. Because who's sitting there, next to the seat I'll surely be placed in? Why, Edward Cullen of course.

Mr. Banner seems indifferent, before barking at Alec too sit in the back next to some redhead who dyed the front of her hair black, was wearing black cosmetics, and leather clothing. She had a lip ring or two, at this distance I couldn't see if it was real or fake.

I sit next to Edward Cullen, and stare at my blank notes page. I can feel him staring at me—does he remember giving me that scar? Surely everyone knows I'm Isabella Swan now, but does he know he gave me the blemish that confirmed it? Or is that one of the many incidents in his life that ended with him terrorizing other students?

As Mr. Banner begins to speak, going through a presentation on the projector, I scribble down notes. Edward's eyes are on my paper. I see him copying my work word for word. I start writing the wrong things, while putting tiny footnotes at the bottom with correct information- surely Edward cannot read that?

We finish the lesson, and Alec and I walk out. I see Edward arguing with some strawberry blonde I don't know, and as we pass, I hear him say, "Shut up Tanya. We're over."

The blonde begins to cry, and I see her in the parking lot later with Jessica. Her lips form the word, "revenge". I don't stick around much later, as Alec steps on my foot and mutters, "C'mon. I want to get outta here."

As I drive us home, we speak in quick Italian.

"Come è stato il cattivo odore?" I ask, tilting my head.

"Bare grado. Incase non hai notato, viviamo in una città infestata da voi creature." Alec snaps. "I can't believe you don't trust me." It shakes his head in mock disappointment.

"Shut up." I mutter, slugging him in the arm, even though my hand starts to throb.

"Whatever. Lets get to your house so I can do your freaking homework." He knows my handwriting- of course.

We decide too detour anyways. We drive to Port Angeles quickly and see a movie, before going back to Forks.

I hand him the sheets on the driveway, under the porch. There are several old cars parked up and down the road, and I worry that Emmett might have brought his little friends.

I go inside, and find a bunch of guys at our flat screen. They're watching some game or something, and I walk away into the kitchen, because Emmett and I don't have money for pizza today and Charlie isn't home. I know for a fact that Charlie eats a lot of microwavable dinners. I throw together some spaghetti, because it's the only thing we have all the ingredients for.

Alec sits at the table, his nose stuck in the morning paper. When he finishes the paper, he looks at Charlie's wall clock, which has the sign of Pisces on it- which Charlie likely doesn't know. He probably bought it because it was the only one with fishes in the clock store.

I stir the noodles, agitated by the whoops and calls coming from the direction of the flat screen.

"Ti senti bene?" He asks, looking at my face.

"I'm fine." I mutter under my breath, knowing he can hear just fine anyways. A smile plays across his face as I turn off the stove, and yell, "Dinners ready!"

"tempi Fantastico, Bella! Il gioco appena concluso!" Emmett says, walking into the room, grinning. He then looks at me more seriously. "Is there enough for the guys?"

"I took them into consideration." I say, gazing at the seven guys who had just filed in. I stand on my tiptoes and grab plates, and look at Alec questioningly, and he laughs. I glance up, and notice some brown haired guy staring at my boobs.

"Uh, dude, the spaghetti pot is over _there._" I say, pointing to the pot on the oven, hands on my hips.

"Burn, Mike. Now stop looking at my sisters rack." Emmett says, grabbing a plate, and elbowing the guy in the process. "Hey- Bells, aren't you and your friend Alex or something going to eat?"

"No, we aren't hungry." I say. "C'mon Alec. Let's get this homework crap done." I say, pulling on his wrist.

"Kay, okay, lets go." Alec says, getting up.

"Seeya, losers I don't remember your names!" I say, waving my fingers at them, as Alec's shoes squeak across the floor.

"And I probably won't be bothered to learn them in the first place." Alec adds, as we walk up the old battered steps.


	6. Italian Freak

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight Saga, or any characters I may use. Everything belongs to the lovely Stephenie Meyer.**

**Summary: When Forks Middle School doesn't stop people bullying Bella, Charlie sends her to his old boarding school in Volterra, Italy. How will the bullies react when Bella returns for her senior year?**

**A/N: I'd like to thank my new beta, themelodiousmeadow, check out her stuff! :)**

**Che diavolo, Bella? Spero che tu non fai nulla dovrò tattle circa. : What the hell, Bella? I hope you aren't doing anything I'll have to tattle about.**

**Perché deve essere ragazzi snatura tutto il tempo? : Why must guys be perverts all the time?**

_Italian Freak_

I watch quietly as Alec's hands fly across papers, the book we're supposed to read kept in spot by my looks up suddenly.

"Math's done, French's done."

"Excellent." In our own silence, we hear voices floating up from the floor, but to me, I can't understand anything till I hear someone yell,

"Damn, my finger!" several minutes after that, Alec cracks up.

"What'd they say now?" I ask, cocking my head to the side innocently.

"Damnnn, Em, your sister's a babe." He mimes someone's voice.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."I crack up. "I don't want a boyfriend anyways.

"Aww… I was hoping I could set you and that Mike guy up!" Alec says, and I elbow him, ignoring the pain. Alec pushes me, and I fall off the bed onto the floor.

Emmett's friends go silent.

"Che diavolo, Bella? Spero che tu non fai nulla dovrò tattle circa." Emmett calls, teasing.

"Perché deve essere ragazzi snatura tutto il tempo?" I yell angrily. Obviously, he thinks Alec and I were doing the nasty. I tromp downstairs, Alec on my heels, apprehension apparent.

"Go jump in a lake, Emmett." I say.

"I fell off the damn bed. No reason to jump to conclusions." Before I leave, I snap my fingers, and narrow my eyes at all the guys in there, besides my brother.

"Eat your frickin' spaghetti and get out, would'ya? I want to be able to safely roam my house in my pajamas." I say, before turning on my heels, and walking away.

I hear someone cough

"Losers," followed by an

"Ow, damn Emmett!" At least my brother cares.

"You should make a show of leaving soon." I tell Alec when I get to my room.

"I do have to go to bed soon. I'm in for another hellish day, ya'know?"

"Okay, Bella." Alec gets up, and walks down the stairs quietly. He slips out through the rumble of Emmett's friends leaving. I sigh deeply at the silence, before gathering something for pajamas and changing into them. I fall asleep when my head hits the pillow, exhausted. I was sure I would have nightmares, but surprisingly, I didn't. I wake up and brush my teeth, take a shower, a cold one too- and still come out yawning. I get ready for the day, selecting clothing at random. I look like a walking disaster zone- but that's because I always am.

Emmett looks beat himself, probably stayed up, wouldn't put it past him. He actually woke me up with coffee make, and I take a cup o' Joe from pure exhaustion. I sip the coffee, ignoring the bitter taste because I don't feel like looking for cream and Emmett drinks it black.

Calmly I trudge out the door, and find Emmett's walking. Apparently he wants to get some exercise. Or be late for school. Either way, I pick up Alec and drive away. When we get too the school, not as many eyes look at the new car. They know who I am. They know what I look like. But the curious figure they want to learn about is more of the "Alec" category.

A girl I don't recognize comes over timidly, smiling meekly. She doesn't look much older than sixteen. Then, she suddenly loses her confidence, and walks over with a jumpy jerk in her step to a guy who looks like her older brother, and I hear her claim she forgot her science book in the car. Whoops. Alec smirks, and we go inside, waiting for the bomb to go off. I see Edward Cullen and assorted cronies behind him. I see a drip of sweat shining on his forehead, like he's being forced into something he definitely doesn't want to do. Finally, he takes a deep breath, before sauntering toward Alec and me at our lockers, rooting around for our French stuff.

"Hey, Bella, would you like to hang out sometime?" He says in a steady voice. I laugh, and he pales, his eyes sliding in the direction of his football friends.

"Wait- wait- you're joking- right?" I say, still giggling.

"Uh yeah…" He says unsteadily, glancing quickly at Alec, who's found his textbook, and stands with what he believes, is a menacing face at my side.

"Whatever, bitch." He finally says, walking away with a cocky swagger, shell-shocked that

anyone had ever said no to his emerald green eyes and bronze hair. But I liked ruby eyes better.

When I'm washing my hands in warm water in the bathroom during lunch, somebody pushes me down. I fall too the ground, my hands leaving spots on the floor. A girl, Jessica, I realize with a jolt, stands at about five foot with several inches of heels, and a wild mane of dark curly hair. She's in the shadows, obviously vexed about something, but another girl towers over me, her hair strawberry blondish, hanging at her chin, straight as a ruler. Lauren. Her nails are curled into her fists, but they're obviously fake, as they go about two centimeters over the edge of her fingers, leaving dents in the soft should be scaly skin of her palms.

"Do you have a problem?" I ask, in what I perceive is a calm voice, as in, 'Thanks for pushing me on the floor. I needed to look for an earring anyways.'

"Yeah- you're trying to woo my boyfriend!"

"…Who's your boyfriend?" I say, perplexed, voice starting to tremble, worried of what those girls might have under their sleeves. Jessica wasn't squeamish about cutting my face open and leaving an ugly blemish on my face forever.

"Edward! And I saw you talking to him this morning- you little slut!" Me? Slut? She was the one in a tube top and three inch shorts.

"He asked Alec out and Alec shot him to the ground." I lied fluidly.

"You keep messing with him, and I will make your little pathetic life miserable."

"I'd like to see you try, bitch."

XXX

I finished telling the story to Alec with five minutes of lunch time to spare. People had steered clear of our table today, and we were in private.

"She was totally grossed out when I lied about who asked her out. Filthy homophobe." I say, recalling her expression, a little sourer, lips a little more puckered. But from what I'd seen of Lauren, it looked like some awesome invisible being had jammed a lemon in her mouth.

Alec was silent at that. Even though he and Jane had been tried as witches, inside, they were both still deeply Catholic, but I didn't really blame them. They hadn't grown up in a world where gays would be socially accepted by most mature adults.

"Your hair looks frizzy." He said, changing the subject.

"Well, thank _you_! I mean, I could always rely on the ever faithful Alec to puncture me ego, but are you getting defensive about that position? Worried Lauren's gonna replace you? Don't worry; you'll always have a place in my heart as my favorite critic ever!"

"Ah. Sensitive."

"Shut up, before I bitch slap you and break off this appendage I call a hand."

"Aye aye, captain."

"You're on my last nerve…"

"Sir, yes, sir!"

"Charlie has a lighter in that damn house."

"Well, I guess you can't mess with Bella Swan. She doesn't look very strong, but man, she can really dole out those empty threats!" I respond by shaking my bones out of place by whacking him over the head with a textbook as I leave the cafeteria in a huff.

"You have to say more than sorry to get me to forgive you. I think I dislocated a joint."

"But Isabella dear that was acting on your own free will." Alec retorted, in an emotionless voice.

"Stop being right all the time! It's annoying." I say angrily, scribbling angrily on a piece of paper. I hastily draw Alec again, and violent scribble him away.

"Fine. Mmm… What could I do for you…? How 'bout I take you out for ice cream?" He says feigning innocence.

"You don't think a date would correct this, do you?" I mime barfing into my trashcan.

"Real mature. How about we reword this… How about I take you on a strictly friendly only outing to an ice cream shop? How about that Italian Ice place near that burger joint?"

"Sure, whatever." I say, and we go outside, me grudgingly, get into the car and drive to the little ice cream shop that serves excellent ice. We go up to the order window, and I choose a flavor. In a moment, the perky blond cashier, gives me the blue raspberry ice and says,

"Anything for you, sir?" To Alec, eyes scanning him up and down.

"No thanks, ma'am." Alec says, and hands the cashier two dollars.

"Hold this." I say, giving Alec the ice. "Knowing me, I'll trip on a lady bug and drop it." Alec snorts, and takes the cone, and we sit down at one of the umbrella'd tables outside. He tries to give me the ice, but I have a shaky grip and smear it on my nose.

"Ah! My nose!" I say responding immediately to the spreading coolness. Alec sighs, grabbing a napkin and wiping the stuff off my nose, as I take a lick of the ice. Two people I don't recognize walk by, and in a high voice, one squeals,

"Italian Ice for the Italian freaks!" And they both fall over laughing. Yes. Real funny, guys. Whatever.

"I've figured something out." I say, once we're gone. "This stuff really fits you."

"Mmm, how?" Alec says, disinterested.

"Well, your Italian, and have a conscious as cool as a glacier. So you're Italian Ice too."

"Such a compliment, Isabella."

"Why shank you." I say hazily, licking the treat, not caring that I said the wrong word, my legs touching Alec's under the table, like my life was some sort of movie romance. If only.

When I sit down again after throwing out the flimsy paper the ice came in, I gaze at the sky, my chin in my fists dreamily. I don't get a sugar rush to be honest, it starts to exhaust me. But even a dozing person like I would notice when a cold hand touched their cheek and soft lips touched their own lips.


	7. Truth

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight Saga, or any characters I may use. Everything belongs to the lovely Stephenie Meyer.**

**Summary: When Forks Middle School doesn't stop people bullying Bella, Charlie sends her to his old boarding school in Volterra, Italy. How will the bullies react when Bella returns for her senior year?**

**A/N: I do not speak Italian, and I am using an online translator. If you speak Italian and spot any errors, let me know. Italian translations will be at the top of each chapter. **

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews, everyone. They make my day! :) **

**Ho appena avuto una notte di massima, questo è tutto.**** : I just had a rough night.**

**Sei e Alec uscire ancora? : Are you and Alec going out yet?**

_Truth_

I didn't really know what to do. This was my first kiss. Before, I hadn't really cared. Alec smiled, and broke away. I was left with a certain breathlessness, though the kiss had lasted but a moment and we'd only brushed lips. I didn't know whether to smile. I didn't know how I felt. It was a jumble of emotions, all piled here there and everywhere.

We went home in silence, I only made it awkward, because I didn't know what to say. I didn't have any romantic feelings about Alec, or anyone in particular. He told me he was going to Seattle to hunt when we got back to my house, and I closed the door as soon as he vanished, moving too fast for my eyes too see. I found to my dismay, Emmett was hanging out with Edward that day. I rushed up the stairs to my room, locking the door. I needed to be alone. I wanted the couch, but I didn't want any slight glimmer of facing Edward too.

I fell into the bed, and thought long and hard. I didn't love Alec. I was friends with Alec. I remember the warnings I'd received from the rest of the Volturi of how I shouldn't befriend the witch twins. They were said too be outside the few confines of humanity any vampire had, feelings of love and friendship. They were said to have no hearts. Nothing would tie me too them. If they could become bored in my presence, if Aro would let them, they would kill me for something to do and never feel a touch of remorse.

Maybe Alec thought I loved him. I knew he wasn't really possible of loving anyone besides his sister, so I figured he was trying to please me, or one of the few human emotions he still possessed- infatuation- was working behind this.

I fell into a fitful sleep, confused, as nightmares of hall ways and doors filtered into my dreams, telling me I had to make a choice. To really accept the kiss or not? To ignore Alec or to ignore the kiss? I woke sweating, and saw shining red eyes in the window sill.

"Humans are disgusting." Alec said, as I turned on my lamp light. His nose was curled. "You're all wet and gross smelling."

"Shut your trap…" I mutter groggily, turning over.

I stretch on the sheets in the morning, and take a quick shower. My eyes are puffy, and I don't know why. Had I cried in my sleep because of the nightmares? I wash my face, and start to apply concealer over the brownish X on my cheek. I pause a moment—what's the point? It's not like nobody knows. I shake my head, and finish putting on the concealer. I put on chapstick, because my lips are chapped from the crying.

As I eat cornflakes in the kitchen, I hear Emmet's rough voice. "Bells, are you okay? You don't look to good."

"Ho appena avuto una notte di massima, questo è tutto.." I say emotionlessly, and watch Emmett nod as he puts toast in the toaster. I revel in the silence.

XXX

"Bella!" I hear a familiar voice, high, but soft. I turn around and see Angela; she hasn't changed at all, except for looking like death.

"Are you okay?" I ask; smiling though, too see her again.

"Had the flu." She mutters, and we hug, right in the middle of the hallway. I hear a girl cough, and a few people laugh. I ignore the jeers, before going to English with Angela.

Alec smiles, happy to see me with a friend, seeing as before, he was the only one I had.

Angela sat with us at lunch, and Alice and Jasper approach apprehensively, not sure if we want them there. I smile a pained smile, and Alice grins back- she seems like a person with a lot of energy. Jasper smiles wearily. His silence and straight face suggest he's shy- or dignified.

"Hi, Bella!" Alice says in a happy voice, picking at her nails.

"Hullo, Alice." I say, between sips of juice.

"Where were you, anyways?"

"Italy."

"Wow! Really? Italy must be so cool! Do you have any Italian friends besides Alec? Because he's Italian too, I know!" She fires away.

"Yeah, really. Italy's nice, very sunny. I have a few friends, but my best friends are Jane and Heidi. And yeah, Alec went to my boarding school." I say quietly, now stabbing at a Caesar salad.

"Did you miss Forks?"

"Not really."

"Then why'd you come back?"

"I wanted to spend some time with my dad. I could care less about anyone else around here." I say, before chewing on some lettuce that tastes greasy- crap, there had been vinegar on these leftovers. Yuck. I stop eating at that point. I shove the food in front of Alec, and he rolls his eyes.

"Aw, me too?" Angela says, feigning hurt.

"Well, I dunno, really." I joke, and Angela smiles. Alice's eyes flicker between me and Alec for a minute, and she leans over the table when Alec leaves.

"Is Alec your boyfriend?" She asks, and even Jasper who had just been eating his pizza and not doing anything else looks up.

"Nope- he's just my best friend."

"You wound me." Alec says, approaching. I roll my eyes.

"Everyone seems to know I'm crushing on her, but she won't believe it." I cross my arms over my chest, knowing he's lying for their benefit. Or is he?

XXX

"So, about that kiss." Alec says as we work, well he, works in my room. "I really do love you." He says, looking at me expectantly. I bite my lip.

"Alec, don't do this." I mutter, knowing he can hear just fine.

"You don't believe what they've said about Jane and I?" He says in disbelief, glimmers of rage running across his angelic face. But I can see other things. Sadness in particular.

"People don't think we have minds. They think we're Aro's tools, who's only exist to do his bidding—but they don't know us! Bella, you do! I'm ashamed of you." He says, and then he takes a deep breath and says, "Bella, can I prove I love you?"

"I dunno…" I mutter. He leans in again, much quicker than last time, and presses his lips against mine, but with more pressure.

"Why else would I kiss you again, after you think I'm but scheming?" He asks, making no sense at all. I stare at him, blank eyed.

"Fine. I believe you. But that doesn't mean I love you back." I say coldly. "Finish up, I want to be alone. I walk out of the room, into the bathroom, sit on the toilet and cry silent tears.

I don't pick Alec up the next day. He calls. I tell him to leave me alone—I'm sick. I felt sick. I stay home alone, and Charlie confirms I have the flu. I lay in bed sneezing and running a fever, and Alec doesn't dare approach- good. Smart of him.

I've pretty much forgiven him by next Friday, and he seems surprised when I stop to pick him up, but he doesn't react much else. He asks me why I wasn't at school, and I tell him- as if he doesn't probably already know. I talk to Alice at lunch over him, and she tells me her brother bullied her too. Jasper seems too not want to be involved in much, but she tells me their going out. They look good together, in my opinion. They balance each other out. We exchange phone numbers, and that's that.

Alec puts his arm around my shoulder at the end of the day, a symbol of peace, I guess. We leave the building together, my stomach turning. I grudgingly drive us home, and Alec finishes homework.

"So you forgive me?" He asks after handing me the papers.

"Yes…" I mutter angrily, kicking a pillow.

"For some reason, you sound like you're lying." He muses gently, taking my hand. I sigh in defeat.

"I'm mad, and I don't even have any idea _why._" I mutter, knowing he can hear just fine, and lie down grudgingly, my upper body propped against his from the side. "I wish this world would just make some echo of _sense._" I say louder this time, angrily kicking the air.

Alec rolls his eyes, and kisses my cheek. "I really wish you would quit that." I say in my pissed off voice. Alec sighs, and leaves, dropping from the window because nobody was home anyways. I begin rereading Wuthering Heights when my iPhone rings. I pick it up, and see who's calling.

Alice. We'd exchanging numbers earlier, but it hadn't struck me as anything important. I answered the phone using a fake chipper voice.

"Hi! I was wondering if you'd like to come over for the night today." She asks.

I'm not entirely sure. "Um… Sure. I'll be over at six." She proceeds to tell me her address and we hang up, and I look for a suitable bag to put my stuff in. I find a nice tote bag and pack, before I remember Alec.

He'd probably come to my window later with some trinket of peace. My stomach turns, but I swallow the feeling. He can relate that I'd like to spend some time with someone else- right?

I pull up too Alice's big house. Her mother, Esme, was an interior designer, so I knew it would look amazing inside, which was a bit intimidating.

I knock on the door, and a few seconds later, a short, soft, brownish haired woman opens the door. I'd seen her a few times before- never up close though. She has Edward's green eyes.

"Hi, I'm Bella… Alice's friend?" I say, and the words turn up as a question.

"Oh, hello Bella. Alice! Alice! Bella's here!" Esme calls, and Alice trots down the grand staircase- heels probably scuffing the wood. I see Esme shake her head as I kick off my shoes- Esme's in socks.

"Awesome, you made it!" Alice says, grinning.

"…Why would I not?"

"Well, if your driving is as bad as how you used to walk…"

"It's not."

"Mmm…. Okay…"

"Your worse that Alec." I say, shaking my head. "And he keeps freakin' kissing me."

"Well, I better work on that." Alice says brightly, before ditching her shoes. "Lets go to my room."

"Okay." I say, and she leads me up the staircase. I put my hand against a wall, and I feel it literally vibrating.

"Thank god for sound proof walls!" Alice chirps. "Edward always has his music up ultra high."

"I see." I say, taking my hand off the throbbing walls. We walk down the hall way to a Mahogany door that has brass letters on it: ALICE'S ROOM

She opened the door, and grinned. Alice had a plain wood floor and white sheetrock for walls, but the rest of the room fit her.

I could see a walk in closet, and bureau that looked simply like it was barfing rainbows. Clothing littered the floor of the closet. The rest of the room was color coded in bright, summery colors, yellows and pinks and oranges. She had a simple queen sized bed with a solid yellow comforter and magenta sheets, a couple butterfly chairs in varying colors, shag rugs, things like that. The only thing that really intimidated me was the plasma-screen television that hung on the wall opposite the butterfly chairs, and an oil painting that hung over her bed- it was a painting of a meadow, the lovely flowers in all the same shades of the room.

"Err… Wow." I venture unsteadily. This room of course had nothing on Aro's guest quarters- but there was something all the same and cold in those rooms. This room bursted with individuality, it looked like something in a JC Penny's magazine, but also managed to look lived in.

I loved it.

"Thanks!" Alice said. "Mom picked the furnishings, but I chose the color scheme."

"It fits you, a lot." I say, still surveying the room.

"Thanks!" Alice giggled, and started digging in a cupboard under the television, stacking up DVDs on top of it.

"Pick something for us to watch tonight—I'm going to ask my mom about dinner tonight." She said blissfully, before fleeing the room.

I look through the movie titles, unsure what to pick. Finally, I just take some I've seen before and wouldn't mind seeing again.

Alice comes back in a few minutes, carrying a square blue plate, and she puts it down on the cabinet.

"Do you like sushi?" She asks.

"Sushi's cool." I say, impassively. I don't have much of a preference on it. I liked sushi, but it's not something I'd choose to eat. I take a piece of the tuna, and chew some.

"She said not to eat to much food right now, and we're going to have cold tomato soup and salad for dinner. Is that okay?"

"Its fine." I say, smiling, I like cold tomato soup.

Alice manages to give me a manicure, and the moment the last nail is declared dry, Esme calls us down for food.

We all sit down awkwardly, along with Dr. Cullen, who had only just returned. He looked tired, but seemed to recognize me. When Edward pushed me off a fence when I was little, he'd helped treat me.

His son inflicts the injury, he fixes the injury.

Interesting.

He is very polite, and I smile and answer Esme's questions. She seems very interested in Volterra.

"What's it like on St. Marcus day?" Was the question that had stood out prominently in my mind. I described it in great detail- and how it was one of my favorite days.

The food was good. Alice and I watched a movie, but we decided not to watch another one.

"Oh, do you want to play Truth?" Alice asked. My roommate and I used too play that when we were bored and didn't want to go to sleep or something. Her favorite question was:

"Sei e Alec uscire ancora?" because she thought we were soul mates or something. It's basically truth or dare without the dare.

We exchanged silly questions for hours. Then, suddenly, she asked a question that caught me.

"You're angry at Alec, I can tell. What happened?"

"He kissed me and I flipped out. How would you feel if Jasper broke up with you?" I ask, trying to counter her with the boy questions of doom.

Alice pauses for a moment to think. "I'd probably cry for a long time. And be a pathetic mass of cells. But then Edward would probably beat him up- jerk." I didn't know who she was calling the jerk- Jasper or Edward. Probably Edward. She didn't seem to like him much.

"I bet this isn't going to be easy for you to answer…" Alice mutters, and takes a deep breath before uttering words that make heart stop cold.

"There's something weird, not right about Alec… Something inhuman. Do you know something I don't?"


	8. The Other Witch

**A/N: Sorry, a whole lotta wait for not a lot of chapter. I don't like this chapter. But I had Writer's Block, so this was the best I could crank out. Enjoy the chapter! :) **

**Thank you for reaching 100 reviews. AMAZING! :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight Saga, or any characters I may use. Everything belongs to the****lovely Stephenie Meyer.**

**Summary: When Forks Middle School doesn't stop people bullying Bella, Charlie sends her to his old boarding school in Volterra, Italy. How will the bullies react when Bella returns for her senior year?**

_The Other Witch_

What was I _supposed _to say? Err, I can't answer that question- hey look a bird! No. I couldn't react badly. And if I laughed, well, Alice would think I was making fun of her… It was Vampire Secret Out vs. Human Friend… Which do I pick? I picked to keep the vampire secret. Crazy- aren't I?

I started laughing. Alice looked upset. "I swear- I'm not laughing at you. Yes- there is something inhumane about Alec- his conscience!" I say, and try to lay it on thicker. "Sorry, you triggered an inside joke." I say, slowing down the laughter naturally.

"Oh, okay." Alice laughs. But I know she doesn't buy it. Too bad. It's late, and we're both tired, so we go to sleep.

I leave in the morning, still yawning. I told Alice I'd had a good time and she smiled.

I meet Alec in my room, waiting patiently, and any emotions he had wiped from the face.

"I lied to her!" I say. "Outright!"

"What, Bella?"

"I lied to Alice. She knows something's wrong with you. I don't like lying."

"Tough."

I start crying then, sniffling, "I didn't want to lie… Telling an outright lie like that…"

Alec pulls me up onto the bed, onto his lap. I bury my head into his chest, until he gently raises my head and kisses my forehead. I don't protest- maybe I wasn't a horrible person after all? Either way- I think it was something I needed, because of how upset Alice had seemed…

At school on Monday, Alice seems almost terribly up beat, like she hadn't thought of my response as mean at all- had I just imagined it all? I didn't think so.

"Bella, are you okay?" Alec asks during lunch. Today, Alice sits with her brother.

"I'm fine." I say to quickly.

"You think Alice is mad at you."

"She is!"

"No, Alice thinks you're mad at her."

"Talk to me later- when you actually make freaking _sense!_" I tell him angrily, and Alec shakes his head.

"You need to talk to everyone else later."

"No flipping duh!" I said angrily.

"Bella, think calm. Think ridiculous dolphin sounds CDS." He urged me. Breathe in, breathe out.

He kissed me then, right in front of the entire lunch room. I pushed my hands against him, and he moved.

"No PDA!" I said shrilly.

"Humans are so immature."

"It's in our nature- ok?"

Alec sighed before I went back to my food.

That night, Emmett has friends over again too celebrate their football related victory over another town.

"Congratulations." I tell Emmett, not looking at anyone else.

"Thank you, Bells." He says. "Will you and your friend Alec hang out instead of hole up in your room? I'm starting to find it hard to believe you had a life in Italy."

"Shut up Emmett. Fine. Will stick 'round for the party. But any funny business from your friends and I'm out."

"Okay."

"Yes, this is absolutely 'essential bonding time' with your brother." Alec said as I furiously brushed my hair.

"Would you rather this or Emmett's drunken friends making cat calls up the stairs into the wee hours?"

"Tough choice, because in which case, I could laugh at you."

"Go jump in a lake."

"But I thought I was going to a party?"

"Stop being a jerk."

"You know, I'll be able to laugh at you when you're sober again."

"How about I avoid the beer?"

"Yeah, sure." He retorted, and I hit him upside the head and finished my hair.

"Lets go down before Emmett gets bugged." I say, before opening the door too the room.

We trot down the stairs carefully, and find Emmett in a sticky situation, failing to get Charlie's beer—or any at all, for that matter. You shouldn't promise things like that when your dad is the chief of police, just though I'd throw that out. A couple of guys managed to bring some, but I just drank a Coke in the background, and Alec pretended to drink a beer.

Some of the guys were asking me for some private time when I decided it was time to step out. I thumped up the stairs too my room and passed out on the bed, and my last comprehensible thought was hoping that I'd locked the door.

A smooth, calm voice knocked me out of my dreams early in the next morning. "Hello, Bella."

I snapped open my eyes and took in the dullish brown hair and angelic face, bright red eyes.

"Holy crap, Jane!" I say angrily.

"Alec wasn't lying. You sleep like a rock." She says, wrinkling her nose in disgust, her eyes slightly narrowed.

"Why're you here anyways?" I yawn out, rubbing my eyes.

"Aro wanted Alec for some reason, no idea what." Jane says, eyes wide and innocent. Innocent Jane. It was a bit of an oxymoron. "So I'm your baby sitter today. Ran here. The Atlantic ocean is a beast."

"Brilliant. I guess we'll avoid jet-skiing their today."

"_Honestly_, Bella. Can you ever be serious?"

"Yes, I can be serious when there is reason to be serious." Jane and I actually weren't feeling bitter. This was her peculiar way of showing affection, I think the only one she ever showed real kindness too was her brother. Some thought of Alec as the nicer of the twins, but he really just opened up to people better than Jane. During their human lives, Jane had faced a tad different kind of pain than her brother that shaped her power.

"So what are we going to do today, since jet-skiing on the other side of the country is out?"

"Whatever, Bella. Whatever you want." Jane sighed in defeat, her hand against her face.

"Hmm… I think I'd like to visit Jacob. I've been too busy other wise." I say, grinning.

"Okay, Bella. Get your stuff together then, I'll be in your car." She swiped the keys from my dresser and jumped out the window.

I threw on some clothing and made myself look decent, applied foundation, and picked up the gift I'd bought Jacob before I'd left Italy, wrapped in silver paper. I took a deep breathy and walked downstairs, got in the car with Jane and drove to La Push with the windows down.

Just as we're passing through some trees and getting closing to Jacob's home, Jane's hands fly too her nose.

"Something reeks here!" She exclaims, fanning her hand around her face.

I take a deep breath through my nose. All I smell is pine. "I don't smell anything, Jane."

"Well something smells like dog here." She snarls.

"Then stop breathing."

"You stop talking before I murder you."

"Yes, that is a very frightening empty threat."

As we get closer to Jacob's house, Jane becomes more visibly uncomfortable. We get out at the house and knock on the door.

"Bella! Great to see you!" Jacob says, opening the door.

"You too Jake. Oh my god, you're humongous." I say, sizing Jacob up- he's a good six five.

"No, I didn't know that. Who's the friend?"

"Oh, this is Jane. She's visiting for the weekend."

Jacob held out his hand, and Jane meekly raised hers, grasping it too shake. Jacob's eyes darken.

"Bella, run." He says, now glaring at Jane.

"What?" I say, narrowing my eyes.

"Just run! This thing is dangerous- I'll take care of it-"

"No Jacob! I know what she is. She is not an it!"

"She's a vampire, she's going to kill you!" Jake says angrily.

"How do you know this? And how are you going to strop Jane from 'killing me'?" I say rashly, pushing Jake away from me.

"I just- can! I can't tell you!"

"I've heard enough from you, Jacob." I say, spinning around on my heels, and getting in the car. "I thought you were my friend. But too be my friend, you have to be civil to my other friends. Goodbye, Jacob." I finish through the window. I roll up the tinted windows, and hands shaking, drive away.

**A/N: I don't like Jacob. Sorry Jacob lovers, but he will appear later. But I hate Jacob.**


	9. Scramble to Volterra

**Italian Ice**

**Summary: When Forks Middle School doesn't stop people bullying Bella, Charlie sends her to his old boarding school in Volterra, Italy. How will the bullies react when Bella returns for her senior year?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight Saga, or any characters I may use. Everything belongs to the lovely Stephenie Meyer.**

**A/N: Sorry updates are taking so long! Some authors are way better during summer- I'm WORSE! I have to much time to procrastinate. :P**

_Scramble to Volterra_

"Ugh, I feel so guilty." I complained to Alec when he was back.

"Bella, he was being a jerk, acting like you had no idea what you were doing." Alec tried unsuccessfully to reason with me.

"But he was only trying to protect me, I guess." I held my own, alone on my childhood friend's side. Even Aro had called from Volterra to try to reason with me- and that was definitely an honor- he didn't often dapple into the guard's affairs that didn't involve the Volturi.

"Bella, forget it for now. Cool off a bit, go back in a while- alone, please Bella, just relax." He said, looking at me intensely. "Breathe in, breathe out. Do I have to get you a dolphin CD?"

"No." I flopped backwards, earning a sigh from Alec. "Go to bed. You have school tomorrow."

The last thing I wanted to do was face Edward today. Alec had already gone to class, and as I got things out of my locker, he splashed me in the face with water.

I put my hand against the scar, which was even stupider because the concealer stuck to my dry hand.

"Jerk." I spat at him, reaching into my bag to grab something made of cloth. I found a stray book cover and rubbed my face against it.

"Maybe, I'd leave you alone if… you kiss me?"

"Gross!" I spat, kicking him in the shins after I slam my locker shut, face tomato red, scar blazing about on my cheek.

"Its fine, Bella. Do you want me to sic Felix and Demetri on Edward?" Alec asked me, as we walked down the hall, squeezing my hand.

"No, don't. I don't want to _kill _him, I just want to screw around with him, and 'taste of your own medicine' isn't exactly your territory, seeing as you and Jane has never had one." I say, anxiously rubbing my fingers against my cheek, which concealed nothing and only made people more curious.

"You're impossible. You refuse my help and then whine all over again." Alec said, looking at my face, before even more coldly than usual letting go of my hand and stalking away.

I think I just got a taste of my own medicine.

I always walk away from people when I'm mad at them. Now I know how much it hurts. Biting my lip to distract myself, I turn on my heels to find an alternate route to my locker.

I sit with Alice at lunch, officially fighting with Alec. She was sitting with Lauren, Jessica, and Tanya, who I couldn't say were very thrilled to be within a thirty food radius of me.

"Bella, would you like to go shopping with us this weekend?" Alice asked me before the bell rang.

"Who is us?"

"Well, Lauren, Tanya, Jessica and me. We'd be such great friends together!" I guess Alice hadn't heard about my last encounter with them, in which case I had called Lauren a bitch and gotten knocked on the floor.

"Err… I guess." I said, eager to spend time with Alice, but otherwise unsteady.

"I'll pick you up on Saturday at ten- is that okay?" Alice said, ever optimistic.

"Sounds great, I say emotionlessly, before we exit the room together, me on my way to biology, the dreaded class with Edward.

I anxiously take notes, draping my hair around Edward, pretending not to notice that he is as close to me as possible, literally breathing down my neck as he takes his own notes.

But I know his heart isn't into it.

He's up to something.

And mark my words, it won't be good.

He's on my heels as I leave the room, and when I turn around to ask him what his problem is, he grabs my cheeks and smashs his lips against mine.

Everything about Alec's kisses had been romantic, that I had to give him credit for. This was almost violating.

I drive the heel over my shoe into his foot and push him away screaming.

"You—fucking—little—son—of—a—bitch!" I scream, hitting him, as a teacher comes between us, yelling to break it up, mindlessly ignoring that Edward had pretty much tried to rape me in the hall ways.

"I had to do that." Edward whispers, as they pull me away to call Charlie.

I mope in my room that evening, crying too myself, but I knew I'd have to pick myself up and deal with that jerk in the morning. Life isn't fair. I play a bunch of CD's extra loud, trying to drive everything out.

Three days later, it was another shopping trip- or in Alice's opinion an expedition to the North Pole. Barefoot. On foot. Starting in southern Australia.

I pack my purse together quickly; stuff some money into the wallet, and making sure the sleek credit card is there. I'm ready to go. I sit on the step and wait for Alice to arrive, not sure I'm if dreading or excited.

Alice arrives in a canary yellow Porsche. So she's loaded, too. Which means Edward is. Even though I have the unlimited Volturi funds in my hands, it kind of bites. I get questioned if I use a lot of money. They can spend all they want.

She drives us to Port Angeles in about half the time it took Charlie to get us from there to Forks- and I know he wouldn't approve of Alice's driving habits. I see her pushing seventy on roads where the speed limit is forty. I say nothing as we zoom across the map.

We park outside the two story mall in Port Angeles, it's a white solid concrete building we a few entrances to stores outside, but otherwise it's probably a larger mall, but less stylish and probably less appealing stores, than the one in Volterra.

We go inside, and Alice navigates to a designer shoe outlet, and I see her trying on stilettos. What's the use of stilettos in Forks? I navigate to a boots aisle, and quickly pick some black leather boots, relieved that they fit and the heel is only half an inch. Alice has found nothing, and she doesn't seem dejected. I swipe the card and sign quickly, before reaching for my new buy, already feeling reddish in the face. I normally didn't buy things for myself; according to Heidi I was fashionably 'handicapped'.

Lauren and Jessica are pooling together money to share some stilettos or something, and I see Tanya paying for some boots herself. She pays with a credit card too.

We leave the store with our few purchases and run into none other than Rosalie Hale, who's using poor Emmett as a baggage man. He's already holding several bags, but he's still grinning. I sit down with him quietly for a moment, as we listen to the others decide where to go next.

They finally decide to browse about the swank women's clothing stores, and I only make a few picks, as Lauren and Jessica buy some of the cheaper stuff, Rosalie tries to buy out the entire store, and Alice makes a few select picks as I do.

I feel kind of happy, but have a bit of an aching feeling. This is actually a very large group of people for me to just be… hanging… with. I'm actually kind of anti-social.

I'm kind of quiet as the other girls gossip and chatter and bicker which ends up with Tanya riding home with Rosalie and Emmett instead. I'm actually kind of happy to leave, and just be alone.

I sit in my room and reread Wuthering Heights again, when I hear someone enter the room. I shut the book and look at the intruder.

"…Demetri?" I said finally, and the vampire smiled. We hadn't interacted much. "Aro has urgent needs for his entire guard. You will come also."

I didn't care what, but how. "What about Charlie? I'll just disappear?"

"Charlie and Emmett are visiting your mother. Your visiting friends in Italy, actually. Lets find Alec and go."

Demetri found Alec immediately, and ran at vampire speed with me in his arms.

"Demetri? What brings your presence here?" Alec asked, jumping down from the trees with perfect balance. He looked at me and regarded me calmly. Well, that's better than nothing.

"Aro has urgent need for the guard. All of us." Demetri said.

"Fine, fine. Give me Bella." Demetri dropped me in time with Alec picking me up.

I was tired so I actually dozed off as they ran over the continent and the ocean to Volterra.

"Excellent job, as always, Demetri." Aro says, bemused. I wriggle down to the floor, and look over the familiar faces, all a stony expression.

"Alec, Bella, has Demetri told you why you have been summoned back to Volterra?"

"No, he seemed to be in a bit of a rush."

"The Romanians are targeting poor Isabella." Aro said, lifting his eyebrows, a deep frown upon his face.

He was about to lose his new jewel, that's why.


	10. Tekla

**Italian Ice**

**Summary: When Forks Middle School doesn't stop people bullying Bella, Charlie sends her to his old boarding school in Volterra, Italy. How will the bullies react when Bella returns for her senior year?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight Saga, or any characters I may use. Everything belongs to the lovely Stephenie Meyer.**

_Tekla_

_This chapter IS in Bella's POV._

Aro's face seemed to not understand emotions properly. He almost looked amused, even though I knew he was devastated and angry.

After you've lived 3,000 years, you sometimes get kind of pushed over the edge backwards, holding onto the cliff by your fingers. Your mind gets to full. You have too many memories, too much knowledge. And Aro, who also had everyone else's thoughts, too.

So I wouldn't put it past him to be kind of insane. I wouldn't blame him. In his place, I would definitely be. He seemed to be taking it better than I would.

I look around the room. Jane and Alec, look impassive, of course, as they always do in Aro's company, and others seemed slightly disappointed to not bothered at all.

I blink for a second as the words sink in. The Romanians. Vladimir. Stefan. For me. For me.

Of course, alone they weren't much of a threat- they had supporters, supporters who wanted to see the end of the Volturi but, had, of course, not been around to see the havoc the Romanians had brought down during their rule.

Not that I could talk- I was only eighteen.

"Mmm, for the time being, I think you should take Isabella to a guest room. Would someone please do?"

English translation: _Whoever's closest to me, get moving and show Bella a guest room for now._

Demetri moved closer to me, quietly whispered "follow me," before walking out of the throne room. Obediently, I followed him through the doors.

I noticed his black eyes, but said nothing. We went up several flights of stairs, and down a paneled hall way to a mahogany door.

Demetri opened the door and showed me into a plain, almost generic hotel room, maybe a nice hotel, but still. I thanked him.

"Please make yourself comfortable, Isabella. Someone will be back with you soon, we have a meal planned."

He shut the door tightly behind him.

I looked through the drawers of the bureau for something to wear, and found them bursting with clothing, likely bought by Heidi. I quickly chose a soft blue dress that I laid on the bathroom counter, before hopping into the shower.

And that's when the screams began.

I never much thought about the Volturi's diet, seeing as I'd never been in the castle when they fed, except for one nasty incident with their old secretary, a frazzled young woman named Natalia. She'd fallen down the stairs one day on her way to work, and crashed into a glass ornament at the bottom. I'd spent the night with the Volturi in a room similar to this one, and I'd been walking with Jane to the square to get some food, and we had encountered a large portion of the guard at the site, Aro examining her.

Blood covered Natalia's face, and most of her limbs were bent in unnatural angles. Blood was sweeping from her chest, which was embedded with the glass.

Aro finally stood up, face blank. "Mmm, we do not have a doctor for poor Natalia here. And fancy taking a missing person to the hospital!" He said, laughing, but no response.

"Jane, I don't believe you were present at our last meal. Would you like Natalia?" He'd asked her.

But Jane's face had curled with revolt. "I do not wish to drink this human. Her blood smells vile."

"Is anyone else thirsty?" Aro had asked, and Afton had approached.

"Alright, Afton." Aro had said. He and the rest cleared out as Afton leaned into Natalia, and I covered my face as I trotted up the stairs as fast as my legs could carry me- until Jane had swooped up with a rare show of kindness, and had carried me to the entrance of the castle at vampire speed.

"It's okay, Bella." She had whispered, before donning a black hoodie to hide her skin.

I'd never felt revulsion to their diet. It was a fact of life, and the people on the tour had to be at least twenty one years of age, according to Heidi, so the Volturi weren't killing children who hadn't had a chance of life yet.

It was like the fact that we survived on the meat of animals for thousands of years. Even though now we had people who were vegetarians, they were a minority. Only one coven of vampires in the world was vegetarian, and my loyalty didn't lie with them. I'd made my choice about my diet based on those I knew.

I would lead a normal diet. So there.

The screams lasted only a few minutes. I quickly bathed and dried myself, put on the dress, and combed down my hair in the mirror. I was fingering a loose strand of hair when I heard a strong knock on the door to the room. I fled the bathroom, and opened the door for the visitor.

Alec.

His eyes almost glowed now, and he smiled when I did. The fight was over like that. Daringly, I hugged his stone body, and he returned the favor, before kissing my cheek, his and Jane's greeting for those they trusted, primarily each other, me, and Aro, because Marcus and Caius didn't hold for such 'nonsense'.

I kissed his in return and he smiled.

"Aro wanted me to be with you while they council, make sure you don't get lonely." He said simply.

"Oh, its okay." I told him.

"No, really. Jane can fill me in later, its not like we have any say in anything. Plus, you should have someone here. We have a new newborn in the castle."

"Really?"

"Yeah, just met her. Pretty mental, even for a newborn. All we can get out of her is that someone broke her out of an asylum and changed her. She says her name is Tekla."

"Oh, interesting." I say, swallowing a lump that had formed in my throat.

"Giving Corin a hell of a time. She has a power of calming, so she normally works with newborns, or when we have someone who just won't succumb to the law. She can only calm her to about that of a normal newborn, and Tekla doesn't like that, so she's practically running free. Waiting for Caius to get fed up, we don't even know why she's not dead yet."

"Poor Tekla." I murmured, staring at the mahogany door.

"Don't feel sorry for her, I don't think she has a clue what's going on. I would rather say poor Corin, who's worrying about her job. Tekla may cost her it, because otherwise she's useless to Aro."

Corin opened the door, rather rudely then. Corin was sort of plain person, like that little blonde girl with freckles in stories, but as an older woman.

"I'm sorry to barge in, but have you seen Tekla, she's missing again and I have no idea where Demetri is!" She said, stress evident on her face, barely noticing me.

"I saw her down the corridor toward the dungeon; I think she wanted to rip down some of Aro's prized tapestries." Alec said coldly.

"Thank you. And if you want to know why she's still here, she has a power to create confusion, but she seems to be also inflicting it mainly upon herself." Corin left the room, closing the door firmly behind her.

"You could've helped with the tapestries earlier." I told him mildly, looking at the small flicker of a smile at those words. Okay, Alec is a sadist. He enjoyed her panic. We already had that out of the way. He and Jane could be really freaking scary when they wanted it too.

And when they didn't care, for that matter.

I sigh. Alec grins. "Bella, Bella, Bella. When are you going to get over it?" He says quietly, still smiling.

"When you act less like Tekla and more like a normal person."

"I'd take away your senses now if I could, your babble is getting annoying." He mutters darkly, before putting his hands on his face, kind of annoyed.

I lie down on the comfy bed, and give Alec his wish, falling asleep quickly.

It'd been a long day.

When I woke up, a foreign faced filled up my view.

She had fiery red hair and striking new born eyes. She wore a simple white dress with the Volturi crest stamped on the chest of it.

"Hi, I'm Tekla." She said sweetly. "You're Isabella." She pointed at me. "Alec had to go. Jane's coming soon. They think I'm in the room." She said. She took a deep breath of air.

"You smell good. I'm thirsty."


	11. Storytelling

Quando vi sono più le mele? : When will you have more apples?

Martedì prossimo. : Next Tuesday.

Grazie. : Thank you.

_Storytelling_

I shriek. Or tried. Tekla was one step ahead of me. Foolishly, I tried to kick her torso away, and broke my foot. I shrieked through her hand. I felt the burn begin as she bit into my neck.

Hopefully, my pathetic screams would attract attention. They did, almost immediately. Jane bulldozered through the door, and tried to fight Tekla, because if she inflicted her power, Tekla would kill me with her death grip. The burn coarsed through my veins.

The problem was, Jane and Alec weren't well trained in fighting. They were small and scrawny children who didn't have as much strength as most vampires, and Tekla was a strong, full bodied adult. And why would they be trained anyways? They could defend themselves just fine anyways. When Felix came in, it was all over. He grabbed Tekla's body from Jane's hands and forced her down kneeling. Jane immediately went to work, decapitating Tekla, until mere seconds later Aro, Caius and Marcus arrived. They scanned their eyes over Tekla, had a hushed conversation. I screamed, and everyone looked at my neck.

"Jane, Felix, dispose of Tekla downstairs."

Aro said, looking at me with a deep certainty. "I will try not to kill you." He whispered, before leaning over and fitting his mouth into the wound.

I felt the dizziness come as I lost more a more of my lifeblood. I closed my eyes, unable to open them. But suddenly I felt Aro's jaw release, and him panting heavily.

Caius' voice. "As you said yourself, you don't want to lose her."

Aro hissed, but complied, and as the door shuts, dizzy from blood loss, I fall asleep.

"Bella? Bella dear, are you awake?" It was Alec's voice. I blinked rapidly, and started to rub my eyes, but he grabbed my hand. "Don't do that, its bad for you." I rolled my eyes, and when my eyes finally adjusted to the light, I saw that his eyes were a shining crimson now- he'd left the city to feed.

I blinked again as the memory of what happened hit me like a freight train. Salty tears welled in my eyes.

"Shh, don't cry." I closed my eyes and tried to stop the tear flow. But Alec surprised me by leaning down and pressing his lips against mine- another kiss and this time I didn't get angry.

He pressed his hand against the new crescent shaped scar on my neck. "You'll have this forever. Our venom is the only thing that leaves a mark." He pulled the sleeve of his shirt up, revealing his scrawny arm.

"I guess you can't see it." He said quietly, before picking up my hand and pressing it an inch above his elbow. I felt a crescent shaped scar in the marble skin.

"Jane and I were left alone to change. We woke up a little ahead of time, and before Aro or anyone got too us, we were fighting- we both thought the other was an imposter claiming to be our twin. I left one on Jane too, in the palm of her hand. I guess your eyes can't see them."

"Nope." I said quietly.

"Mmm, what do you know of our story? Because it holds a lot of similarities too yours."

"Err, I know you were born around 1700, your mom died in childbirth, your dad died of hunger, and you were thought to be witches, and you were about to be burned at the stake when Aro stepped in." I told him.

"Mmm, that's part of it, not all of it." He said quietly.

"Jane and I were born around 1700. Our parents expected a single baby boy, but my mother died birthing Jane. They had to cut her open to get me out. Back then, twins were considered evil, and the fact that our mother died while in childbirth fueled the first rumors.

"Our father loved us, and he tried to help us, but the fact was that he eventually couldn't make enough money to feed us all. One winter, he died of starvation making sure Jane and I had enough to eat. That's when the rumors really began to snowball.

"Jane was already working as a handmade for one of the wealthier families in town. I dropped out of school to begin working in one of the shops.

"People began to whisper at that point. Why had he died for us both? Why not just let Jane starve, she was an unsightly child who likely wouldn't marry well. They began to think we stole from our father, and children tormented us on the streets, and their parents locked the doors to their stores when we came with our money to buy food, saying they didn't sell to witches.

"The major difference in the two of us then was that Jane felt angry and betrayed when this happened. She would start to feel a burning pain every time she was denied food. I, meanwhile, began to shut off the rest of the world besides my sister. The only way we got any food at all was through the family she worked for, she had served them since she was very small and they knew her not to be a witch. She traded her wages from money too food instead.

"One day, a little boy in town tripped her, and tried to steal the food she was bringing home. Jane got very angry, and the little boy began to shriek. 'It burns, it burns!' he yelled, running to his mother. Another incident when a man tried to lock me out of work. He said I wasn't allowed inside. A few minutes of arguing later, the man keeled over. I ran, scared. The man soon woke up again, he only remembered the world going slightly fuzzy before losing his senses.

"At that point, without of knowledge, Jane and I were being watched by two groups of vampires. The Romanians, and the Volturi.

"When one morning we woke up to a storm, and realized we were being carried to the town square to be burned, the groups fought. The Volturi won just in time, and arrived in the town square as Jane and I burned. They saved us, killed the townspeople, and we began our existence on the guard."

Alec finished.

"The similarities are, the Romanians want you, and so do the Volturi. And they know how to make you forget us."

"How?"

"One of the ways to make a vampire forget everything is to drive them insane before beginning their transformation." He kissed me again.

"But don't worry, we won't let that happen."

"Alec? Is Bella awake? I got her some food."

"Yes Jane, do come in."

Jane came in with a tray of food that she placed on my laptop. "I just finished telling Bella our story."

"Oh."

"Can you show Bella your scar?"

Jane wordlessly took my hand in hers. I squeezed it, and felt the slightly raised crescent shape.

"Quando vi sono più le mele?" I asked the vendor, looking at the empty basket, Jane covered next to me.

"Martedì prossimo." She said.

"Grazie." I say, before we walk away.

"You okay Bella?"

"Just… nervous."

"Bella, you're living in a castle full of vampires!"

"I know, it's just… gnawing… feeling…"

"Bella, stop it. You have to talk to Aro anyways.

"I see you are recovering nicely, my dear Bella?" Aro said.

"Yes, master." I said, looking up at Aro curiously.

"You are returning to Forks tomorrow, with added protection." He said. "I know you aren't close to Heidi and Felix, but they are very capable of protecting you along with Alec. Don't act to close to them, slowly befriend them, for the sake of secrecy. Forks is already suspicious of your relationship with Alec."

"Okay, master." I said with honesty.

"Enjoy Forks."

We ran home. I was probably a site, but Charlie and Emmett weren't back for another hour.

I opened the door, and met Charlie.


	12. Fast Furious Felix

**Italian Ice**

**Summary: When Forks Middle School doesn't stop people bullying Bella, Charlie sends her to his old boarding school in Volterra, Italy. How will the bullies react when Bella returns for her senior year?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight Saga, or any characters I may use. Everything belongs to the lovely Stephenie Meyer.**

**A/N: Woah- two hundred reviews! Well, almost. Its amazing! I love you reviewers soooo much, especially the warm fuzzy feeling I get when I see a review in my eMail inbox. Love you guys. One more thing- whoever is the 200****th**** review gets a preview of the next chapter when I'm half-way done- so remember to log in or give me an email if you are! ~Laura**

_Fast Furious Felix_

"Charlie… you're home early." I said, my voice quivering.

"Bells, what happened to you? You look like hell."

"I, um, tripped when I walked up the driveway. You know clumsy, stupid, Bella." I said quietly. "Whatever Bella. Go change, we're going out for dinner. That Alec kid can come to, I guess." He said gruffly.

"No, Alec is still in Italy. He's coming back tomorrow." I lied fluidly, my voice coming back easily.

"Okay, then, whatever…" He says more to himself, before going back to whatever he'd been doing.

I go to my room, and find Alec sitting in the window. "Thanks for getting me out of that."

I walk closer. "Your welcome."

He says goodbye with a kiss on the nose, before jumping into the tree and out of my sight.

I change quickly into some clean clothing, before making my way down the stairs, hoping Charlie wouldn't ask questions about Alec's family.

Dinner out was a quiet affair. Emmett had stayed home, not feeling very well. Said he might have caught a bug going around. Charlie and I had almost nothing in common, so many of our discussions were awkward and we would have been better without them in the first place. He asked a few questions about Italy, and I said things like "fun" and "interesting" that likely wouldn't spark more conversation with Charlie. We left the restaurant with full bellies, but little conversation made.

I tossed and turned in bed that night. Nightmares, mostly, of stories I'd heard of the Romanians, the crimes against humans they'd done. Rapes, violence, and humans had the very real and much understood threat of being jumped by a vampire any moment. The ideas gave me chills, and made me want to cry. I woke up feeling exhausted and crabby as Alec pushed the off button on my alarm clock and picked me off of my bed. I protested weakly, but too no avail of being allowed more sleep.

He smirked at something on my dresser. Drowsily, I look and saw a canvas bag on the top and a note. I reached the note and read.

_Isabella-_

_You've probably looked stupid the whole time you were here! Silly Isabella. Anyways, I'm coordinating your outfits now! I can't have my fellow Italians looking tacky. _

_-Heidi_

Wonderful. Alec handed me the bag.

I peeked in and groaned.

"Get out." I muttered darkly at Alec, and he jumped through the window. I shut the blinds and slowly put on the clothing. Not liking what I was seeing.

I opened the shades and looked in the mirror as Alec came back in. I was horrified.

The dark, sexy black shirt flaired at the bottom, accentuated by a plunging neckline. The jeans put a new meaning to skinny. I ignored the stilettos and put on my rain boots over the jeans. Heidi could get over it. Plus, I'd probably kill myself in the stilettos, and get blood everywhere, and then where would we be?

"I like it." Alec said quietly.

"Well your one of those pervy boys, of course." I said angrily. "Meet me at the car, but pass me that hoodie first." I told him, and he chucked the light blue jacket at me before jumping out the window. I put on the hoodie, and went down the stairs quietly, ate a Nutri-Grain bar, and fled the house, careful not too disturb Emmett, who'd turned out to have a stomach bug after all, and wasn't just using it as an excuse to get out of the destined to be awkward.

I met Alec in the car.

"I still like it." He said, smirking slightly.

"Shut the hell up before I punch you and break my hand. Then what are we going to say?" I muttered, exasperated.

"I don't know. You're the one who broke your hand punching me." Alec said, in my opinion illogically, but who am I too judge?

We drove to school and I saw a sleek silver car pull into an empty parking space- one I'd seen in the Volturi's garage a hundred times.

"So much for inconspicuous." I muttered, looking at the car gravely as Heidi and Felix got out heavily, looking around the parking lot quietly.

"Felix indulges. Aro admires his strength." Alec murmured in my ear, before gazing at the car for a moment to meet Heidi's eyes, before looking away calmly.

Nobody was paying attention to them, yet everyone was interested in them. Heidi turns away, glances at Alec, moves her lips, and if it weren't for my eyes, I wouldn't have known she'd said anything. It was a message for Alec's ears. I fled the parking lot for the school.

Heidi was in my first class. I heard people whispering "why all the Italians?" but I ignored them and Heidi, drawing on some scrap paper nonsensically. Heidi sat down behind me. Neither of us acknowledged that we knew each other, its not like we could. It would be to much of a coincidence.

Classes were boring as usual. I had a little run in with Lauren right before lunch, who tried to trip me, but I just called her a jerk and moved on, walking quietly toward Alec.

We went down the line, grabbing food for me too eat and Alec too pretend too. Just like every other, ordinary day.

But trouble arises when we step in the cafeteria. Of course.

Heidi and Felix are standing next to Mike Newton, who seems to have a fair bit of drool on the corner of his mouth. Heidi is trying angrily to pull away, holding only an apple, but Felix is holding on too her tightly, grinning at pathetic Mike Newton.

I heard snippets of the conversation.

"Well Mike, this is my sis Heidi!" Felix says, hugging her too his side. Heidi scowls angrily, trying to walk, but the only reason Felix is on the senior guard is his amazing strength.

"Nice to meet you Heidi." Mike says kind, but Heidi, her face isn't pretty with rage and annoyance.

"You know- you guys would be a great cou-"

Felix is cut off by a huge crashing sounds as Heidi's fist collides with his face. Heidi of course, has some anger problems, if you haven't all ready figured- and Felix seems to have a new kind of aggressive stupidity to provoke her. Desperately, Alec drops our tray, to make an excuse to the noise.

Felix falls to the ground immediately, and I see the bits of concentration in Alec's eyes, as Felix seems to be knocked out on the ground.

"Excellent timing." Heidi's lips form the words quickly as she rushes by us, before Alec and I clean up what we can of the mess our food made.

"I can buy you a new lunch." Alec offers.

"Its okay, I'm not hungry. Maybe I'm getting Emmett's 24 hour bug. We'll see." I say quietly, picking up a now bruised apple covered in ranch dressing.

Twenty minutes later, the concentration and irritation is gone from Alec's eyes. Words are exchanged around the school about the strange siblings, and mocking of Felix, by the football team, and snippy girls whisper that Heidi belongs on the boy's wrestling team.

I ignore it all, but follow Alec into the woods that evening, sitting quietly on a rock a few yards from the action, not wanting to be too involved.

"What was that for?" Felix said angrily. He was embarrassed by the whole thing, and didn't like to be though week, even if by measly humans.

"Do you want a full blown vampire fight in the middle of a freaking school in Washington? What would Aro say? Forget Aro- he wouldn't have a chance- Caius would murder us all!" Alec said angrily, taking his own swing at Felix but missed as Felix ducked. Heidi grabbed him, easily holding the smaller vampire back. Alec snarled, trying to break free, but Heidi was relentless.

"No more fighting. Got it?" Heidi breathed angrily.

"Wow Heidi, your own to talk." Felix said, breathing heavily.

"If you weren't such a jerk, we wouldn't be here in the first place!"

"Stop it." I say quietly, but they can hear. Everyone watches me, my face, waiting to hear what I will say. "Don't fight- your friends, you guys are hiding out in the same place, and this is a little thing, okay?"

"Can I pummel Felix if he pulls that trick again?"

"Maybe if it's thundering." I reply to Heidi, with a tiny grin forming on my lips, completely out of place in the tense environment.


	13. Sudden

_Sudden_

"What are you doing?" Heidi asked suddenly, snapping me from my thought patterns, waving her hand in my face.

"Thinking." I muttered, looking at the dusty wooden floor.

"About what? She asked curiously.

"I have no idea, you made me forget." I said angrily, crossing my arms. "Go away, Heidi." I said, kicking a shirt on the floor.

"Fine, be that way." She said, before jumping from the window to the trees behind it.

Heidi was spending more time with me than usual, because at this point in time she was my only guard. Felix, Demetri, Alec and Jane had been sent to deal with Romanians, with no luck thus-far. They'd been gone two months, which Heidi assured me meant nothing as too the success of the mission, but it was an eternity in my mind, and therefore unbearable to me.

Of course, Forks needed closure as too the sudden disappearance of the two Italian students. Alec's father was battling cancer, and he was gone for the rest of school year. It was a little numbing to lose my constant companion (possibly "boyfriend"? The word didn't fit.) Of about three months, but after two months, it was more like a ripped feeling. Like something was missing.

Heidi didn't exactly help. She mainly was a help in the fashion department, and not much else.

In the morning, I got up and went through my morning motions, until I found a headline on the newspaper Charlie had left on the table.

**THREE TEENAGERS FROM FORKS MISSING**

Further down, I read the names. Alice Cullen.

Tanya Denali.

Jessica Stanley.

My heart jumped from my chest. Tanya, Jessica, I could care less. But Alice? Alice didn't deserve whatever could be happening to her, even if it was just lost in the woods. But lost in the woods with Tanya and Jessica? That sounded like hell.

I continued reading. Apparently they'd gone shopping and hadn't come back. Around 1 A.M., their parents contacted the police.

The search had continued since.

My breath caught in my throat. No wonder Charlie had gotten up earlier than usual, and had seemed a bit disgruntled when the phone rang late last night…

I swallowed down hard, and folded up the paper, so I wouldn't have to see Alice's grinning face, taken for her school picture.

I slammed the door as I stalked into the car, and slammed the gas.

School was rough. Everyone seemed a bit down about the disappearances, and that just brought morale to a bit of an all time low. I fell asleep on the couch the moment I got home.

A few miserable days later, I was shaken awake.

"Alec!" I whisper in the darkness. His eyes, a shade of dried blood, reflect in the moonlight streaming through the window.

"Shh, shh, it's late Bells. This is extremely dangerous, understand? This is not vampire movie scary, OK? This is not Tekla. Understand?"

"Err… Yes." I say.

"Come on, we need to get outside. I have Heidi too."

We padded silently down the hall and slipped through the door. I could see Heidi outside.

Alec slung me over his back with a jolt, and began to run. I close my eyes, and buried my face in his neck.

The run seemed to last forever until they stopped. We were definitely somewhere in Canada.

"Come quickly." He said leading me through the brush, a tight grip on my arms. I hear high shrieks, when he leads me to the edge of a large clearing. On the other side, beautified versions of Alice, Jessica, and Tanya fight uselessly from the grips of experienced vampires.

Alice is biting Jane savagely, adding to Alec's scar on the palm up and down her arms. Jane shrieked, and soon had Alice on her knees. She pushed her shoulders down, and simply sat on Alice's back, as Alice burned in agony.

"Oh my god." I whispered.

"You!" Tanya squealed suddenly, her eyes snapping on me. I saw Alec begin to concentrate, but Felix restrained her quickly.

"…what happened?"

"The Romanians happened to these poor girls."

"Oh."

"SHE DID IT! SHE DID THIS! SHE WANTED ME DEAD!" Tanya yelled angrily, futilely clawing on Felix's muscled arms.

"They think we're on the Romanians side. We found them changing here, but the Romanians got away."

"…Oh."

Alec permitted me to come closer, as Heidi latched on to Jessica with Demetri, who needed a bit of help while Felix and Jane were more that capable of keeping Alice and Lauren down. I approached closer, Alec gripping my arm hard enough to bruise, but I was too horrified to notice.

Alice. A vampire. Under Jane's influence. It was unnerving, to be honest. I approached her, and softly touched the now shinier black hair.

"Don't… touch… me!" She groaned through her pain. "you… demon… go… to… fucking… hell… bitch…" She said, before Jane turned up that funny little mental dial, and she curled in on herself. Suddenly, all three fell limp.

"Thanks, Alec." Felix said, dropping Tanya as if she were vile.

"We called Aro. He wants us to take you and them back to Volterra, he's taking care of your departure from Forks now, tying everything up."

"I'll take her back so she can pack." Jane offered.

"Okay." Alec said. "We'll begin transporting them, I guess," he swung Alice over his shoulder.

"Excellent. Meet you in Italy." Jane suddenly scooped me from under the knees, and ran like a bat out of hell.

Jane dropped me off in my room. I went through my things slowly. Then, suddenly, I gasped, and dashed to the bathroom. I pulled out my phone, and dialed Jasper's number. It was in the wee hours, and there was no answer. When it went to voice mail, I said slowly and quietly, "God, I am so dead, but Jasper, you have to know. You love Alice. Alice has been changed into a vampire."


	14. Betrayal

**A/N: Hey guys! My laptop arrives on Monday. It is currently sitting only FOURTY-FIVE freaking minutes away from here… but FedEx doesn't ship on Mondays. Bull crap. Anyhoozle, the point of this chapter is to shine more on the inner workings of the Volturi, especially the end. I find a lot of Alec/Bella stories sugar coating the Volturi. Of course, I don't find them as terrible as the books may make you presume, but I still think they're pretty freaking evil. And nobody really should believe the "Alec is actually a nice, misunderstood fellow" charade. Because he's not.**

**I don't own Twilight. All rights go too Stephenie Meyer.**

_Betrayal_

The vampire operated silently in the dark room. His partner hung overhead, her fiery hair streaming in front of her blood red eyes. The Volturi had been fed that day, and the vampires were together analyzing the electrical devices in use by the Volturi, as Chelsea came in. Surveillance cameras. Cell phone trackers. Tapped phones.

Afton's gift of extreme understanding and Corin's knack with electricity landed them a home and a job, and notoriety. Most vampires we technologically inept, and with the Volturi's wish of extreme control, the two vampires were welcomed with open arms to teach the Guard and Volturi to use technology, and to keep a watch on any technology used. Corin was quite frivolous, and all she really did was hook up trackers and install new technology without a hitch. Afton, meanwhile, was rarely seen outside of his cold, chrome room full of beeps and buzzes.

Chelsea was vying for his attention now. She pouted, and sat down on a leather swizzle chair across the room, before sliding across the stone floor to her mate, who was currently checking the settings on the phones of every member of the guard and several vampires who had been cited as troublemakers. Vampires were required to leave technology such as cell phones with Gianna, and while the Volturi saw them, the cell phones were quickly tapped, and would be back on Gianna's desk when the vampire left.

"Hey Corin, Aro wants you." Chelsea said in a relaxed sneer. Even as a vampire, she had a bit of a nasally voice.

Heidi got up stiffly, quickly moved a few dials, and straightened herself. She pulled her straight, yellow-blonde hair behind her ear, and walked quietly out, shutting the door of the soundproof room.

"How was your day?" Chelsea said sweetly, spinning around in lazy circles. Her hair streaming behind her.

"The usual." Afton said in a bored voice, he moved his chair closer to Chelsea, and began typing commands into the computer.

"I was so bored today…" Chelsea said, planting her feet on the floor, facing Afton's side. "Do you think we could do something today?"

Afton muttered something indistinguishable.

"Come on, baby." Chelsea reached for Afton's jaw, for a moment her fingers rested on the nape of his neck. Then, she scooted closer, and pulled her lips to her mate's.

"Chelsea!" Afton griped, pushing her away. "I'm working. I get off in a few hours, and please, just let me concentrate until Corin gets back."

Chelsea pouted.

"Hey, I'm picking up something from Isabella's phone." Afton said, moving away. "It's 3 AM in Forks. Why is she sending voice mail?"

He banged the mouse on the counter lightly, and the laser on it returned to life. He clicked the megaphone button on the computer, and Isabella's voice resonated through the room.

"-have to know. You love Alice. Alice has been changed into a vampire."

"Whoa!" Afton said, and clicked more buttons on the screen. He got a small black screen that read Isabella's number, and a foreign one. He quickly moved to another screen, and entered the strange number into an online database. He got a result.

The screen showed a picture of a rather handsome young boy, grinning at the camera. Age, eighteen. Name, Jasper Whitlock. Residence, Forks, WA.

"Oh dear." He said quietly.

"Massive understatement." Chelsea sneered, still sulking.

Aro was called into the room immediately. The vampire swiftly walked into the room, his shoes tapping the floor.

"What is it, Afton?" He said, glancing around the room. He'd actually never been in the room where Heidi and Afton, to guards he was actually, quite fond of, locked themselves in most of the time. They practically glowed.

The multiple screens scattered around the room changed to the information on Jasper Whitlock. Afton pressed a key combination, and Isabella's messaged played its entire length.

"God, I am so dead, but Jasper, you have to know. You love Alice. Alice has been changed into a vampire."

"Go to the doors. Get Corin too. Maybe burn this to a CD? They'll be here soon." Aro's face turned confused.

"We're going to have to put dear Bella on trial."

I regretted it the moment I hit send. What had I done? I brushed it off, and hoped Jasper would think I was joking.

Quickly, I finished packing my stuff rhythmically into the bags. I grabbed only my laptop, cell phone, photographs, and school papers really. Everything else could be replaced easily in Volterra. I only brought the things that were irreplaceable.

I pad downstairs yet again, and before taking Jane's hand, I take one last look at the scruffy house.

I lift my hand to my lips, and blow the dark home a kiss this is the last time I will ever see it, likely. "Goodbye Charlie, goodbye Emmett." I whisper, before taking Jane's hand and she throws me on her back. I close my eyes and the tears roll down my cheeks. Jane doesn't react, she just lets me cry into her shirt.

We arrive to a surprise. Jane and I arrived at the end of a darkened alley. She turns over a manhole.

I can practically feel the soothing feeling of home slipping through the hole in the ground. I watch silently, as Jane gracefully slips down the hole. I take a deep breath and jump down.

Hands that are too big to be Jane's catch me. I can see the darkened tail of someone's cloak climbing up the pipes. They're closing the manhole. But Jane is nowhere to be seen. I look up, and subtly recognize the face. It's one of the lower guards, who was simply a well trained footsoldier.

"What's going on?" I shrieked.

"Aro has ordered you too be put on trial for revealing the secret." The guard said in a bored voice, as two someone's with recognizable names came in. Afton and Corin. They were technological whizzes.

Afton took out a small voice recorder from a deep pocket of his cloak. He pushed a green button.

"God, I am so dead, but Jasper, you have to know. You love Alice. Alice has been changed into a vampire." My scratchy voice said.

Of course! The Volturi tapped phones. How could I have been so stupid? Afton gave me a critical gaze. Corin locked eyes with the guard holding me roughly.

"Take her to the dungeon. Somebody will retrieve her in the morning."

The guard gripped my hand and led me down the opposite end of the hall.

I had never been in this part of the castle before. I bit my lip apprehensively. The walls of these tunnels weren't warm, or filled with beauty. In fact, they were a dark, morbid gray. We went through a heavy door, and were immersed in air so dusty that I started coughing. Finally, I managed to breathe in slowly and carefully. The Volturi obviously didn't use these dungeons for vampire law breakers. They were just plain cages, something a vampire could easily escape from. But there were humans down here. Dirty humans, hunched over. Elderly and children. Men and women. A single lightbulb hung from the ceiling.

And then a sight that broke my heart. A little girl peered through the bars of her cage. She had dull grey eyes, curly black hair hanging in her face. She wore a single rag, draped simply over her body. She whispered something. "Emma." She said.

I was pushed into a cage beside her. It was a simple stone floor. We shared a pitcher of water. It was empty, at the moment. A wooden plank hung from the wall, as means of a bed, or a bench.

The lower guard pushed me in roughly, and locked the door thoroughly. I sat down, and after a while, heard the door open.

Foot steps again. I recognized the shoes. They were Alec's. I looked up, and saw shining scarlet eyes.

"I trusted you." He whispered, and then his eyes flickered.

The little girl was reaching for my hand with bone white fingers. Alec kneeled down and tenderly took her hand in both of his, enveloping it.

Then, they squeezed. I heard her brittle bones snap.


	15. A Date With Aro

**A/N: HELLOOOOOOOOOOO FRIENDS! Sorry for the next update gap. Blame my 30,000 word goal on the YWP of NaNoWriMo... *heehee* sorry, haha. My birthday's this Friday, so don't expect another update in October... I'll be too busy obsessing over my new iPod touch. Enjoy the chapter! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight... or Alec. Damn.**

_A Date With Aro_

He walked off swiftly. The little girl started wailing. "Shh, shhhh." I whisper, and lift her hand so I could see it. The site was so horrifying I almost dropped her wrist. But I swallowed. Her bones had been pulverized in his strength. You know how, in those Harry Potter movies, in the second one, that Lockhart dude, like, sucked away all of Harry's bones? Emma's hand was like that, but a heck of a lot more messy.

Her bones had been turned to dust. There was nothing I could do as Emma screamed, her hand limp, bones splintering her insides. It wasn't like I could set it or something. Slowly, I put it down, knowing my hands pressure made things worse.

Emma eventually cried herself out, and we fell asleep, my hand on her face, our heads only separated by a cold metal bar. Before dozing off, I saw the ghost of a smile on her face, as I brushed the mangy hair from her face.

When I awoke, the little girl was gone.

Corin was in my face, and she had a noisy, rustling sack, a burlap sack, behind her. Kicking and screaming came from the bag. How cliché can you get? She rolled her eyes, and threw the sack inside my cell. When she was gone, I opened up the sack.

Inside was Jasper. He looked pretty roughed up, and confused. "Bella? Why are you here?"

"You'll know soon."

"Why are we in a cage?"

"You'll know soon."

"Damn."

Hours of boredom pass, and finally someone returns- this time its cat-like, self-centered Chelsea. I never really bothered her, her dark red hair and feline-ish face always got too me.

"Aro would like to interrogerate you before an official trial." She said in her low, nasally voice, and I carefully stand and follow her up the stairs and into the light- leaving Jasper and the prisoners in the dark. I'd never felt worse in my life.

The once seemingly warm walls and beautiful marble floor felt cold and similar now under my tennis shoes. The laces yanked untied, but Chelsea was walking too swiftly for me to kneel down and tie them.

I'd never been in any of the Volturi Kings personal quarters before. I'd spent a significant time in Alec's, a substantial in Jane's, and a smattering in Demetri's- but I had never set foot in Aro's apartments- and I had to admit, aside from the bleakness of the rest of the situation, I was quite curious.

The first sight was a large mahogany double door. Chelsea picked up the knocker and slammed it down, and in a second, Aro appeared between the doors.

"Ah, Chelsea, thank you for bringing dearest Isabella here. Isabella, do please come in." He said in his normal, jovial tone.

I reluctantly took his hand, and he pulled me in and shut the door with lock and key. His quarters were full of lush sunlight from large, multistory paned windows. Sulpicia, in her red-haired beauty rested on an antique sofa, thumbing through an ancient looking book. She looked up at me, with unwelcoming eyes. "Hello, Isabella. It is good to see you." It sounded like it wasn't good to see me at all- but I bit my tongue and became quite interested with the rug under my feet. Sulpicia's ballet flats hit the dark wood and she left the room through a glass paned double door, all I could see of the room was a large gray bed.

"Isabella, do sit down!" Aro said, gesturing to a bright orange couch parallel to the one Sulpicia had previously occupied. It was very modern and industrial- but I sit down reluctantly and Aro pulls a teapot from nowhere, and pours me a cuppa' into an ornate china teacup. "Do have some!" He says kindly. He has forgotten to supply me with a supply of sugar.

I reluctantly sip the cold, bitter tea, and Aro sits himself down on the antique couch.

"So Isabella, you have told Mr. Jasper Hale of our secret- yes?" He says, becoming serious.

"Um... yes." I say slowing, my hands quivering and a little bit of tea dripping onto my jeans.

"Please Isabella, be comfortable. Would you like a pillow? Or a blanket?" He asked.

"Throw pillow." I said hesitantly, and Aro gets up, goes through the same double doors as Sulpicia, and comes back at a human pace with a zebra patterned throw pillow, which he puts on the coffee table between us. I set down my tea and hug the pillow.

"Could you please tell me why you may have relayed this information? It is, after all, not your secret to tell, as you have no means of changing Mr. Jasper and justifying this confession."

"I don't know... Jasper's a really nice person, and I could tell he loved Alice. I guess thinking she's dead would kill him... I acted on a whim..." I say awkwardly, looking at my finger nails, bitten raw.

I look at Aro. He's giving me a severe face that makes me shudder. "Get up, Isabella." He says with a sigh.

I stand up, and he circles me slowly.

"Do you know what it would mean, if people believed this? If Mr. Jasper spread the word? Aro said, before gently taking my hand and taking me through the glass doors.

Sulpicia was out on a balcony. Another set of glass doors was left open, pale with curtains streaming into the room from the light breeze. Aro led me unto the balcony and sat me down. I sit down slowly on the rich sofa, and Sulpicia looks at me from where she stands at the edge of balcony, overlooking the city. Aro sweeps over, and they converse to quietly for me to hear.

"Sully believes you and Jasper should be locked in your quarters till your date with the court. How does that sound, Isabella?" He finished calmly, raising his eyebrows.


	16. High Court

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for not updating. I apologize, but this chapter is un-beta'd, so there will be mistakes. :( I hope you enjoy! :)**

**Disclaimer: I only own the Twilight Saga, The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, and the manga. Dx**

_High Court_

Chelsea returned quickly this time, with Jasper in his burlap sack, unable to see the horrors and grandness of the Volturi castle. He apparently lay limp in the sack, as the sack was unmoving.

Aro disappeared from behind me and returned with a pair of shining silver handcuffs. He fastens them on my wrists. "It's just a precaution." He breathes in my ear, but I know its not. Handcuffs or not, I could never escape Chelsea with her wicked speed. Its a plight to humiliate me to the guard, to unnerve me before my trial, in all obviousness.

Chelsea heavily leans her free hand on my shoulder, leading me down the corridor to the guest room I had sometimes occupied for so long. There was no reason to hide me as there had been before, and I was led down the corridor I hadn't seen in ages.

The guest rooms at Castle Volterra were boring and generic. They are covered with beige carpeting and pure white walls. Only members of the guard and the Volturi coven themselves have balconies, but the windows in the guest room are large and let in a lot of light. There is a small kitchenette added in mine, but it is missing from others. Above a plain queen sized bed with an enormous mosaic patterned comforter is a painting of a lily. It is prim and tidy, with lights illuminating the corners. The guards rooms are colored in a deep blood red with high ceilings and chandeliers. The guest rooms have so many differences.

Chelsea shuts the heavy wood door from behind us, clamoring on her tiptoes to reach the key that hangs on a hook over top. She slips it in her pocket, before releasing me from the handcuffs. She places those on the counter of the kitchenette. I back of from the door, and Chelsea releases herself from my prison. I hear the key turning in the lock on the other side, then silence.

I kneel down gently, as if there is someone to hear. The wing with the guest rooms is empty. Aro has near two hundred rooms almost identical to mine, taking up two entire above ground levels of the castle, all filled with drab rooms. The only time they get much use is prolonged visits from friends, and according to Alec, Aro holds a ball every fifty years, when most of the rooms are finally occupied. The maids of the castle, just some of the dozens of peoples who are eventually destroyed or changed that work for the castle, clean every room at least once a month, keeping the rooms fresh.

According to Alec, the next one is due in several months, the negative side of my mind wonders if I'll be there to see it.

Shakily, I undue the knot to the burlap sack Jasper lays motionless in. I get the knot with fumbling fingers, before releasing Jasper, who is breathing in long gulps of fresh oxygen. His hair is ruffled, and he's blinking, in pain from the brightness of the room. I leap to the light switch and dim the lights partway.

"...Bella?" he whispers almost silently, before his eyes droop shut and he sleeps. I lay him down on the bed, before taking the opposite side of the bed and slowly falling asleep.

I am awoken roughly in the morning. Jane stands there, kindness void from her eyes. She has shaken me, jarred me from slumber. "Aro awaits you in the court room. Please dress and come with me."

Jane's monotone wakes Jasper. "Bells? Who's this?" He says sleepily, rising up.

"My name is none of your concern." Jane answers pointedly. "I would advise you dress yourself, and to await any summons from Master Aro."

I approach the closet and shut myself inside, turning on the light inside. It illuminates the generously sized closet and the few garments inside. I shakily choose a staunch, formal white dress that ends just below my knee. I pull it over myself and discover it a size too small, but I suck in my gut and do the buttons all the way up too my neck. I feel around on the top of my closet and find the smattering of jewelry I keep up there, and find the shape of the big turquoise brooch. I snap it on the neck of the dress and pull on some part way pantyhose, before pulling on my dress shoes. I grab a comb and brush down my hair roughly, before finding a plain dark head band. I flatten my hair and push in the head band, before stepping out.

Jane has offered Jasper a spare set of guards garments, Dark dress pants and shoes, with a gray shirt and bow tie. They look like Felix's size, nothing close to Jasper's.

Jasper stares at the clothing uncomfortably, unsure of what to do. Jane looks at me and takes the cuffs from the counter. I put my hands behind my back as she fastens on the cuffs. She takes me out the door, locking it behind her.

I am led down to the throne room, now serving as a court room. There are benches of different sizes pushed against one wall, and the lower guard is flowing in at a steady rate, sitting down on different benches. Some I have never seen before, temporary guards or foreign members who are not usually present at Castle Volterra.

Jane leads me to the center of the room, right above the drain that the ashes of criminals are swept down. Somebody has pulled out a chair that straps you down almost like the electric chair had. I sit down in the chair, and Jane fastens my wrists down with bands. My feet are strapped to the legs of the chair. The upper guard are in a corner, not participating in my trial. Alec and Afton are conversing quietly. Alec gives me a dirty look, before the two walk through an iron double door lurking behind the thrones. They return moments later with a solitary Marcus. The stand at opposing sides of Marcus' throne, as the old vampire sits down expressionlessly, watching the lower guard in the benches. Felix and Demetri disappear through the double doors and appear with Caius and his mate, Athendora. Caius sits in his throne, Demetri and Felix imitating Afton and Alec. Athendora settles herself behind Felix, able to watch me but safe from any danger. Santiago and Renata appear with Aro and Sulpicia. Aro sits in the tallest, grandest throne. Once again, the guads settle at his either sides, and Sulpicia hides herself behind Renata, safe from any harm. The remaining women of the upper guard fan out behind the thrones, ready for anything. Its just a reflex, because there is absolutely no chance I would ever try to attack anyone.

The end of the lower guard finally comes in, ending with a stocky, black haired Asian vampire leading in a terrified Jasper. The clothes Jane has provided are indeed, too big, the dress shoes clunky and a belt that is also to large that barely holds the pants up. His shirt is large and awkward on him. The Asian vampire leads him over to the lowest bench, sitting down. He keeps a strong hand on Jasper's shoulder.

Aro stands slowly, before bellowing out a single word. "Silence!" The chatter amongst the lower guard silences.

"We have gathered today to discuss the sentencing of one Isabella Marie Swan, who has been charged with the crime of revealing our secrets to a mortal. Let the trial begin." Aro sits down, and Caius stands. "Would Mr. Jasper Hale please stand and recount his tale?" Caius says, before seating himself. Jasper and the Asian vampire rise. The vampire mutters something to him, and Jasper walks slowly in front of my chair. His hair is neatly but hurriedly combed.

Jasper stands his ground but I can see his shoulders shaking.

"Well, er... A couple days ago I heard my girlfriend Alice had gone missing. She was out shopping with some of her friends, I was really worried all day, and there was no word about what happened to Alice or her friends at all. I had no idea where they are." Jasper's voice a tad higher than usual. He shivered but composed himself.

Marcus's voice rang out. "Please continue, Mr. Jasper." Jasper shuddered, but resumed speaking.

"That night I went to bed around ten, but I guess something happened. Around two, I think, my phone rang. It had gone to voice mail before I woke up, and I heard Bella say something about... vampires." Jasper bowed his head, and I stared straight at my toes with glassy eyes.

"I fell back asleep before Bella's bizarre words got too me. When I woke up, there was a lady in the corner of my room with a burlap sack. She jumped me and knocked me out, and then when I woke up, I was here, I guess." Jasper finished. His cheeks were red.

"Mr. Jasper, would you please come here?" Aro asked, his voice emotionless.

Jasper approached the thrones and climbed the marble steps. His foot caught and he almost tripped, but he steadied himself.

Aro took Jasper's hand in his. Jasper looked startled. "Your tale is true." Aro said, with a hint of malevolence in his voice, in his eyes.

Marcus spoke up. "You feel love for this Alice girl." He said blankly, looking past Jasper as if he weren't there.

"I also sense you have a sort of... talent, with the arts of manipulation." Aro said coldly. "Others feel what you wish them to feel. You have a gift of empathy. I have no idea how strong." Aro finished, before gazing at the lower guard. "How many of you believe a gift of emotional empathy would be an asset too your ranks?" He asked, his voice loud and clear, Jasper still, gazing at the mass of vampires.

Nervously, most of the lower guard raised their hands in the air.

"I see. Miss Isabella Marie Swan, Mr. Jasper appears not to have revealed out secrets, and the guard would believe him to be a gift." I am silent, staring at Aro, unsure what to do.

"As you have done us a favor, you will not be punished. However, dear Isabella, we cannot risk you revealing this secret again to the mortals of Forks." I have a small set thrown on my face.

"You will therefore be changed, and will begin working in the guard with Mr. Jasper. You will be changed at dawn, and will then join Ms. Alice Cullen and Ms. Thalia Ashens in the newborn ward in three days time." Aro said blankly. Jasper's mouth dropped into a small 'O'.

"Now Jane, Alec, would you escort your new trainees to their new quarters? Demetri and Felix will collect there possessions from Forks. Jane, Alec, you will transform the two at dawn."


	17. Burn

**A/N: **Hope everyone had a merry Christmas? Did you all read A Very Volturi Christmas yet? If you haven't, you should! Enjoy the chapter!

**Disclaimer: **Santa is just a little late getting me those rights...

_Burn_

Jane undid my strappings coldly, and pulled me out of the chair. Her eyes reflected nothing. Alec's face was a void, as he took Jasper's hand calmly and led us out of the room.

Her hand is freezing as she grips my own tightly. The twins have a habit of holding hands, but when they liked me, they never held my hand this hard. They lead us up several flights of stairs to a part of the castle I've never been in, the lower guards dorms. These are plain, Yankee white doors, and the hallways of a baby blue paint coloring. The doors have brass plates on them. Jane and Alec separate, Jane leading me down to an unmarked door, next to two plated "Elijah" and "Quinn". She opens the door, and leads me into the room. Its plain, with the same color scheme as the corridor, white and blue. There is a double bed pushed in the corner, and a small closet and bureau. There is a door leading into a bathroom with a shower stall and a sink.

Jane opens a wooden cupboard and removes a key. "There's towels in the white cabinet in the bathroom, and some guard clothing in the closet and a cloak. There's a medallion in the jewelry box." She says sternly. She leaves, gripping the key, and I can hear the mechanical clicking as she locks the door and locks me in.

I trail into the bathroom and sure enough, there are several soft and silky towels in the white cabinet. There is also a smaller wooden cabinet, revealing hygienic supplies vampires wouldn't normally need, a small variety or perfumes, a hair dryer, and lip glosses.

The closet reveals guard clothing, sure enough. It is actually in my size, I discover, trying it on. Females of the guard, except for Jane, wear high heeled boots and long dress pants with white button up shirts. Jane usually wears a staunch black dress. The cloak is nothing near the upper guards dark gray, its a pale gray, almost white. The medallion is quite small, unlike Alec's colossal heavy one. It easily fits in the palm of my hand, and the design is the same. I poke around the room some more.

There is a white book shelf, empty except for several books. There is an ancient looking guide to etiquette, a large-spined Italian dictionary, and a single standing, thin book, that reads on its cover "harnessing" the rest is rubbed off. I replace the look, before hopping in the shower and falling back to sleep.

I am awoken by shuffling in the room. I recognize the character as Alec. The clock on the wall reads 5:30. "I am taking you too the new born chambers." Alec says, emotionless.

"From this point on, you will be expected to wear your medallion and uniform at all times you are exposed to those of higher rank. Aro will determine when your work shows improvement and you can advance through the ranks. Caius judges the performance of the lower guard once a month and chooses if some are to leave." Alec says, taking a different set of guards clothing from the bureau.

"You will advance through a twelve set system, and it takes a minimum of half a century to advance to the upper guard. You will, as a newborn vampire, spend two weeks under the influence of Corin to learn control, before you will enter training with Jane and I. The lower guard, sector one through three has meals once a week in chamber six." Alec says in a monotone, taking my medallion from the jewelry box.

"You will receive bites from Jane, Corin and I in half an hour in the newborn chambers." He says finally. "Please change."

I scurry into the background and change into the guards clothing Alec had provided. The fit a bit tight, but I guess they'll be the right size after I change. I pull the light cloak over my head and set the medallion around my neck. I brush down my hair quickly, before going back outside.

Alec's eyes survey me, bored. "Come on. To the newborn chambers." He says, taking my hand in a death grip, and leading me down several different flights of stairs to a heavily guarded set of double doors. Alec speaks rapidly too the two guards, before leading me into a solitary, padded room, which Corin and Jane enter. Corin is smiling. Jane never smiles. Corin sits down.

"Hello Isabella. This is going to be an extremely strenuous experience on your mindset, and you will be extremely disoriented when this is over. My job is too make your first weeks easier, and please, if you need me to come in, just scream, Isabella." Corin says creepily, taking my hand and squeezing it. "Please lie down." Corin gestures to a standard scale, hospital bed. I awkwardly load myself upon it, and stare at the lights on the ceiling.

"Isabella, close your eyes." Corin says. And then Corin's teeth rip angrily into the flesh of my throat, her teeth burning and stinging the flesh of my neck. I hear Jane and Alec approach, and somebody unbuttons my shirt. Jane and Alec furiously sink there canines into the tender skin above my heart. I can fear there anger and frustration pour into my life's blood, ready to destroy it all. I feel a wet finger running over the wounds that stitch themselves tight, and a wet towel is placed upon my forehead. A guttural blast of cool air blows from a fan somewhere, and then the pain begins as I slowly burn away too nothing.

When I am awake, I am in a strange room. It's very white and cold in here, and I rub my forehead, confused. My eyes are burning with the intensity of the light, and my throat is so scratchy, my tongue so parched...

One wall of this room is a solid length mirror. I edge closer too it, but my reflection isn't... right. My skin is too white, my belly feels indented. I rub my hands against my stomach, and find shockingly that my hip bones rise higher than my stomach. I was never, end even close to this thin in my real life. My hair is a shade darker and an inch longer, but shockingly, my eyes are glowing red, almost robotic looking.

I hear foot steps suddenly, and I revolve my body around, defensively. I narrow my eyes, seeing someone vaguely familiar... but I can't fetch her name.

"Bella?" they say in a light, sweet tone, and a soft, gentle smile. "Do you remember me? I'm Corin. I'm here to help you."

I crouch and hiss defensively. "Why should I trust you?" I say angrily.

Corin sighs sadly. "I didn't want to have to. I expected more faith from you, Bella." Corin finishs, before pouncing me. I try to fight, but the impact of her fingers on my skin dulls the urgency too kill her. It's a soothing sensation.

"Alec?" Corin calls. There's definitely some memories tied to that name. A boy enters the room.

"Watch her. Jasper's probably waking now, and I'm worried about him." Corin tells the boy, before fleeing the room.

The boy is two inches taller than me, but has a younger face.

"Do you remember me?" He asks in a smooth, toneless voice.

"A little." I answer truthfully, staring him in the eyes.

"Well, damn. If you hadn't, we could've been able to start fresh." He says coldly now, and then he won't say anymore.

Corin enters again. "Is she being good?" The boy nods curtly. "Excellent." Corin says. "I'm bringing her to the commons with the other four. You should take guard on the door with your sister, for safety."

Corin twists her hand around my wrist and drags me down a stone hallway to a room lit by dim candle light. With a spark, I recognize and remember Jasper and Alice when I see their faces. When I look at the two foreign faces, I don't understand why, but I feeling a burning contempt.

"Good, everyone's here." Corin says, smiling at us all. "Aro has a friend too meet you. We usually only have one newborn in the ward at a time, but with five, we need help discerning about who has powers and who has not." She said warmly, like a mother, as a vampire appeared from the shadows.

His skin is chalky, but with an olive colored undertoning. He is tall and hulking, and he enters the room quietly. "Corin." He greets her with a short one-handed hug. "I am rather unhappy with being called away from my home, and of course, Carmen."

"You can go back in half an hour. Just check them." Corin sighed, unhappy with the mans antics.

The man approached me and stared for a moment or two. "She's blocking me." He says lazily too Corin. "She's definitely got a mind block." Corin rolled her eyes.

He moved to the honey blonde boy standing next to me. He reached out his fingers and brushed them against the boys cheeks. He whispered something that sounded a lot like, "interesting..." he dropped his hand. "Empathy." He said blankly. He moved to Alice, and stared for a moment. "She has an eye for things too come." Wait... how did I remember Alice's name?

He moved to the girl with strawberry blonde hair. He took her hand, and with a loud sound of an electric shock, the man screeched. "She's a beast." He muttered. "Electric shocks." He told Corin dutifully. He looked at the curly haired brunette. "She is plain. There is nothing grand about her."

"Thank you, Eleazer." Corin said too the man. "You should report too Aro, and then you may reunite with... Carmen, is it?"

Eleazer looked at her blankly. "You know her name." And then he was gone.


	18. Training

**A/N: Yo! I apologize. I haven't updated since last year. 0-0**

**This is a MISERABLE excuse for a chapter! But I haven't had the best couple of weeks. Please excuse me while I hire Alec to kill everyone that attends my school violently. **

**Oh, and my grandfather died today. Just greattt. He had Alzheimer's, pretty deep in. When he was eating his breakfast this morning, he got something caught in his throat. It wasn't a bad choke, in a healthy, young person it would cause you to faint or be very uncomfortable for about an hour. But in an elderly man, (who'd they'd already decided to let nature run its course on) it was pretty much guaranteed fatal. It still feels ind of numb, and I feel like I'm in denial- like they must've made a mistake... **

**I feel guilty. I was supposed to mail them a headshot of myself (they have a VERY recent one of everyone... but me.) but I kept putting it off. And now I can't get it to him. :(**

**I'm sorry about the Negative Nancy author's note. Enjoy the chapter. It has one thing you've all been begging for. **

_Training_

In two weeks of newborn training, I feel that I learned little. Corin taught us discipline, and Volturi newborns were supposedly extremely controlled, the best in the world. I felt I had made little progress, but Corin had promised I'd made plenty, and I was expelled from the Newborn Chambers, into guard training with Jane and Alec.

I was taken too board with Jane- an experience I didn't expect to be pleasant. Jane's bedroom was high-ceilinged, it's color scheme red and black. Alec was straight next door, both had almost identical rooms. Built into the rooms was an enormous bookcase, Jane's was next to empty, with a woolen doll, stained with ash and blood laying on a middle shelf, and a box of matches next to it, and a pile of decimated books covering the bottom shelf. Alec's bookshelf was full, the shelves lined with, thick, tall books with fading colors and shiny golden titles in languages unknown to me. Alec had a desk pushed into the window of the room, with a feathered quill and bottles of different colored ink. They both had unused balconies. The bookshelves and desk were the only things that differed between the two rooms. Neither twin had a thread out of place, a mess on the floor, or photographs or paintings anywhere. They both had sparse closets I saw, with only several sets of guard uniforms and a pair of shoes in them.

Jane set aside a little area of room for me- the rest of her walk-in closet. Of course. I set of camp with two changes of clothes and a pillow for resting. I expect to feel exhausted after spending time with Jane and Alec- I know I did something awful to them... but I don't know what. Even though vampires don't feel exhaust... Jane and Alec will find a way, I had a feeling.

I settle in, resting my head on the pillow, tracing the scratches and imperfections on the tile floor with my fingers.

In the morning, Jane stirs me from my trance. Throwing a dress shoe at me, I stir violently as the shoe makes impact on my fac, jarring me from dreamland. I shudder, blinking, and mumble, upset, to my myself.

"Get up and go bitch, you're not human anymore anyways!" Jane trills, taking my hand violently, and pulling me up. I stand up and slip into my shoes at a speed unimaginable. She drags me out of the room, and raps her hand angrily on Alec's door.

"Yes Jane, I'm here, and no Jane, you don't have to dent my door." Alec suddenly opens the door, and Jane gets him in the the stomach, its a sound of metal against metal, but neither vampire reacts to it.

Alec pushes his sister out of the way and regards me for a moment, and I can see hints of betrayal in his eyes. He turns, quietly conversing with his sister.

"Should we take her too the courtyard...?"

"No, Sulpicia and Athendora are going to be tending their flower gardens..."

"How about the caverns beneath the throne room?" Jane chirrups quietly.

"That's a good place." Alec agrees, before turning to me. "Come on, Isabella." He cups my hand in his, his sisters leading us stiffly down the hallway.

The room we go too is built in stone bricks. They are gray and cold in color. I breathe in quietly, and Jane squares off in front of me, and suddenly attacks. I'm paralyzed for the slightest moment, but I let my instincts take over, as I curl my hand into a fist and hit her on the shoulder hard, the momentum of granite against granite, and Jane hits the floor in an undignified crash, leaving a bit of a dent.

"Good." Alec says neutrally. "But you are balanced. Get a good grip on the floor, and it won't be so difficult too keep yourself up. Feel the energy."

Jane recovers, and she comes at me again, and we end up in hand-to-hand combat. She goes for my eyes, I go for her throat, encircling my fingers. I push her, and pin her too the floor.

I get up and Alec helps his sister too her feet. "You're a quick learner." He observes, a hint of subtle warmth and respect in his voice. "That may help you stay alive."

Jane leaves to change her dress after I rip it. I pull up into a corner, pulling my knees too my chest, resting my head on my kneecaps. I yawn heavily, looking at the bricks.

"Hey, you okay?" Alec asks hesitantly.

"Fine." I anwser vaguely, looking at my thumbs.

"It's good to be fine." Alec says lamely, and I roll my eyes. "Nice." I comment dryly, before standing.

"Hey, I'm sorry." Alec finally says, grabbing my shoulder.

"About what?" I ask, straining to remember.


	19. Quinn

**A/N: Sorry for being so busy guys. Life's a bitch. Anyways, welcome back to the freak show! Do you like Quinn? I really like Quinn, sorry. There's a Quinn everywhere, and you know it. ;) And Citlalli! Sorry. Citlalli is an Aztec name for girls. The meaning is unknown. :( But seriously, Citlalli ranks right up with Tekla for favorite characters that get a moment to shine and are never mentioned again. ;) **

_Quinn_

Alec remains silent. Training becomes difficult as time goes by, and you can't say I excel at it, but I was decent enough. Jane and Alec teach me little things, finer details as time goes by, and I am deemed, 'ready' and released to my room, out of Jane's.

I look at the room, and look at my hands. Finally, I hang the clothes back in the closet, almost like a robot.

I slip off my boots, and sit in my room, going through my things that have been dropped off from wherever I used to live.

Boxes and boxes of books, some leftover clothing and make up. A laptop. I plug the device into the wall, and start going through the files, trying to piece my life together.

When it boots up and I open the 'My Picture's' folder, I immediately click the 2008 one, because its folder icon is the first to show up. The folder has three sub-folders, Bella's 16th birthday, Rome Trip, and Christmas. Other miscellaneous pictures are beneath, but I press the folder for my birthday.

I seen twenty six pictures in all. There's a photo of me eating what looks like a cupcake and Alec rolling his eyes, a picture of Alec with frost smeared on his cheek, me opening presents; receiving clothing and perfume and books. Other pictures show the highlights of the day, from Jane appearing to be hanging from the roof, to Heidi and Felix play-attacking me.

I go 'Rome Trip' next. There are only a few pictures here- pictures of a happy girl with hair that'd had a recent mishap with a curling iron, aside, but she was smiling and laughing as she and her human friends explored the city. I realized with a jolt in my mind, _field trip_. This was my school field trip to Rome, where the Religious Education teacher and the History teacher had tried to control us- but the girls had wanted to go shopping- and the guys had wanted to gorge on Mediterranean cuisine, as per usual. We'd ended going to our museum in the end where we all giggled immaturely at the statues just to upset the teachers.

One folder to go. Christmas. These pictures are fuzzy JPEG's, the castle has been decorated with tinsel. It looks like a vampire had taken these with a cell phone. There are a couple pictures of Alec and I dancing to music I wish I could hear, in company of other couples, and pictures of members of the guard drinking blood from ruby encrusted cups.

The other pictures make little sense, and are usually stand alone's. Many of them are also simple head shots, or a pretty sunset; an odd-shaped pebble. There's a picture that has big red letters added to it that read, "SPOTTED: ROMANTIC INTERACTION". The photograph is Jane and Demetri leaned over some papers in the large main library together, and their hands rest upon each other.

I go through the other years of my life, before closing the screen of the computer, and starting another folder. "2011 – Vampire" I write as its name. I press the button for the webcam and take a head shot. It's plain.

I open up notepad on the computer and stare at blank screen. I close the program and shut down the computer- the messy way. I'll risk my files. Maybe it'll be better if everything from my old life goes away.

There is a knock on the door. I jump up to open the door quickly, and it reveals a vampire not much more than a boy. His eyes glint of his longevity, however. He holds out a rough hand, still scarred from his work as a human. I take his hand and he shakes it softly and politely, before both our hands awkwardly return to our sides.

"My name is Elijah." He says kindly. "I live next door to you. I have the gift of life- I can breathe life into the dead human once more." He smiles creepily. "But they don't come back quite right." He smiles roughly and I slam the door in his face. I hate one of my neighbors already.

Later, I meet Quinn, my other neighbor. She's a ginger; with silky red hair and raindrop freckles. She has big eyes. I shake her hand and I flinch. My hand stings now, like an electrical shock. Quinn smiles eerily, pointing her hand toward the ceiling, clenching it, before letting go. A shock of lightning comes from her hands and takes out the electricity in the hallway, and everything goes dark.

She invites me into her room, and I accept, as I don't want to hate everyone on the lower guard, as it seems I'm starting too. Quinn shuts the door behind us, and fiddles with the outlet for a moment, and the room lights up. The power is back on. The room looks like it started identical to mine, but there are other things in here as well. She has a big loveseat pushed against the windows, curtains open wide, letting sunlight into the room. An enormous tan pot, covered in elaborate designs of primitive people going on with their daily activities stands next to the door. A delicate glass vase full of white roses stands on an end table. Quinn fiddles in the dresser's drawers, making noise as she pushes stuff around, but finally comes out with an old box of matches. She takes one of the sticks out of the box and brushes it against the side, and it lights up. Quinn lights several candles, and the room soon smells of vanilla.

She sits down on a cozy looking living chair, and pats the love seat. I sit down and cross my legs, glancing at the glass coffee table in front of me. Several issues of Vogue are scattered about on it, along with a tube of Burt's Bee's Lip Balm and a copy of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

"So, you're new here?" Quinn asks.

"No, I've been an unofficial member for a while. I was the human Jane and Alec toted around." I say, twiddling my thumb.

"Ah, I remember you!" Quinn squeals, throwing her hands up. "You were so adorable. Always dressed like a tomboy with your hair pulled up. So silly." She wipes tears from her eyes that don't exist. "And now you've met Elijah. Isn't he sweet?"

"I wouldn't call him that." I answer truthfully. "He seems rude."

"You've spents countless hours with the Witch Twins and yet you call Elijah rude." Quinn rolls her red eyes. "Elijah is sweet. He just comes off odd."

"How?" I say, narrowing my eyes.

"He creates zombies." Quinn deadpans. "Nobody knows how he developed it. He's Greek, and apparently older than the masters themselves, yet he only came a few months ago." She licks her lips, doling out the juicy gossip. "Elijah isn't his real name. He won't tell us. Paranoid, he is. But talking of Elijah is boring. There's so little to speak of! Let's talk about someone else."

"Err. I don't really know anybody else." I say quietly, staring at the woman on the cover of the magazines. Her green eyes are mesmerizing.

"Let's talk about Nathaniel!" Quinn decides. "He's a cutie. And my mate." Quinn giggles. "Nathaniel isn't here right now, you'll meet him in a couple weeks. He and Monty are out looking for recruits. Its their job."

"That's interesting. How do they do it?" I ask, feigning my attention.

"Well, Nathaniel is very enchanting." Quinn giggles. "He can get anyone to tell everything about themselves. So they find vampires, and they'll tell Nathaniel if they have a gift. And if they have a gift, Monty, Nathaniel's partner, will influence the vampire too join. They come back every couple years with three or four recruits. They're due to come back in a month."

I'm starting to feel more comfortable. "That's interesting." I say. "Who's Sabrina? Her door is across the hall from mine. And Citlalli?"

"Sabrina is a sweetheart. An angel on earth." Quinn says. "Seriously, I've never met anyone nicer. Citlalli is an Aztec vampire. She makes prophecies, usually. Sometimes they're right, sometime's they're not. Don't expect her to come out much. She hardly even drinks." Quinn says, brushing away stray hairs. She obviously felt that Citlalli was odd.

"Oh, I-" I start speaking, but I'm interrupted by a frazzled vampire, with pure black eyes indicating extreme thirst bursting through the door violently.

"The Romanians!" She gasps, before her eyes roll to the back of her head.


	20. Meeting

**A/N: Man, was I excited to write this chapter! Serious. Hahaha. Now its time for a real vampire war- trust me, this is going to make those Southern Wars look like nothing. Especially with Elijah! And we get a quickie shot of Felix being Felix, Alice and Jasper being cute, and Alec and Jane being witches. ;)**

**Disclaimer: Alec hasn't arrived in the mail yet. Do. Not. Approve.**

_Meeting _

"Citlalli!" Quinn screams firmly. "Pull yourself together! Let's get you too master Aro." Quinn says, lifting one arm, and gesturing for me. I walk over, picking up Citlalli's arms. They're bone thin- she wasn't well fed before she died. We drag Citlalli into the hall, and Quinn drops the arm she has, and stamps over to Elijah's door. She whacks it mercilessly with her fist, denting the metal plate.

"Elijah, get out here! Now!" She demands, and the boy opens the door glowering at her.

"What?" He demands, his tone hostile.

"Citlalli's having a freak out. She came in blubbering about the Romanians. Now get out here and pick up her legs so we can get her to Master Aro! Sabrina's on holiday in America- remember?"

"Of course I remember." Elijah snarls, picking up Citlalli's feet. "This again. I swear, the girls gone mad!" Quinn takes Citlalli's other arm again, and we run to Aro's apartment.

Quinn drops her arm again, and I hold it gently. She gently takes the knocker and presses it against the door, and the door cracks open, revealing Sulpicia. Her hair is loose and messy. She regards us, eyes lingering on Citlalli, and says, "I'll get Aro. Just you wait." She closes the door again, and I hear a slight commotion on the other side of the doors. Someone is yelling.

The door opens again. "Citlalli?" Aro whispers, looking at us. "Come in, come in." He gestures too us. We shuffle inside the room and Sulpicia gestures for us to drop Citlalli on the sofa. She disappears into the room with the gray bedding.

The vampire gasps for breath. Either she's a total freak, or she's unstable. I'm leaning towards both, personally.

"Citlalli, come back." Aro commands, taking the girls hand. I follow Elijah and Quinn's lead, flattening myself against the wall.

Citlalli breathes in, eyes wide now, and begins to mutter. I can't hear her, her voice is so soft.

"What are you saying dear? The Romanians surely can't be ready to kill us all!" Aro exclaims.

"Siege!" Citlalli says meekly.

"What would a siege do to vampires?" Aro says, puzzled. "We've got months worth of humans in the dungeons, years maybe." Like Emma.

"The... city..." Citlalli is whispering now. She's mortified at what she believes to be coming.

"The city is under siege by vampires! I get it now, I get it!" Aro says. "Isabella, Quinn, Elijah, go get the others. I need Caius, Marcus, Felix, Jane and Alec." Aro orders.

"Yes sir." We answer, leaving the room. Caius and Marcus live only a short walk away. Caius's door is made of dark wood and studded with obsidian. I bang the knocker, and snowy haired vampire opens the door.

"Yes?" Caius sneers. "What do you want Elijah? You didn't need to bring accomplices in your mission."

"Master Caius, we did not intend to bother you, but Aro summons you." Quinn says quickly, pulling on the sleeves of her starch shirt.

"I see." Caius barks a goodbye to Athendora, who is apparently inside his apartment. I can hear him muttering, "What does the old bat want now?"

Elijah leads us to Marcus's room, where we meet a somber Marcus. Elijah speaks softly, and Marcus agrees to see Aro. Now we just have to get Felix, Jane and Alec.

I know the route to all those rooms by heart.

I knock on Felix's door first. "Hey Bella!" He says opening the door. "Damn, you're pretty now. And everyone's gonna be pissed that I'm talking to you like you're a human being. Oh well. What's up? And you've brought... friends." He says, scanning Quinn and Elijah. I grab his shoulder.

"Aro needs you, it's an emergency." I tell Felix.

"Oh, I see. Of course he needs me. I'm head of the guard." Felix says.

"I'm not interested in bragging now Felix. We have to go get Jane and Alec."

"Fine." Felix says, closing his door and walking down the hallway, away from us.

Just Jane and Alec left. I ready myself, and knock Alec's door. I had had no intentions to meet up with him again anytime soon.

"Yes, Isabella?" Alec asks, opening the door wide. I can see Jane lying on his bed, making no means of hiding her sour expression. Alec looked at her for a split second; and in that moment he seemed concerned and almost frightened.

"Aro wants you." I attempt not to stutter. I wish I could without showing weakness.

"Ah, what now, I wonder, sister?" He looks back to Jane.

"Someone is probably being an idiot." Jane groans, pulling herself to standing position.

"Citlalli saw the Romanians." I blurt. There goes any facade of being undaunted by them.

"Citlalli sees everything." Alec snarls. "Whatever. Come on Jane, mustn't upset master Aro. Know how prissy he is, right?"

"Oh, of course." Jane says, checking the button of her shoes. In the flash, the two have run to Aro's chambers.

"We should go back." Quinn says, after we've been standing, still and silent for a good five minutes. "We don't have a good excuse to be here anymore, we don't need some random coming in and screaming at us, you know. I don't feel like being reported."

We trudge back. I go back to Quinn's room, but we can't just pick up where we left off. There's too much going on.

I look at her magazines. The models look frail and ugly now that I'm surrounded by vampires- and a vampire myself. The articles are boring and hold no interest. I leave.

Lying on my bed in my own room, I hear an ancient PA system squeal and shudder as Afton taps the button. I can hear somebody say in the background, "God damn it, AFTON!" but Afton quickly starts speaking. "Ah, yes, and Corin, suck it up, anyways, ah, Master Aro, Master Caius, and Master Marcus would like to summon the entire guard to the throne room... _now._"

I leave my room immediately. Quinn and Elijah are already out in the hallways. I jog to keep up with them, and we finally come into the throne room. The stadium seating from my trial is up again, and we all file in slowly. I sit next to Quinn. I look behind me and see Alice and Jasper. I wave, and they wave back. Jasper smiles uneasily. They're still in guard training- with Felix and Dimitri, I think.

The Upper Guard stands behind the three leaders. Sulpicia and Athendora are holding hands, protected by Renata.

"Silence!" Caius bellows, and conversation, what little there was, leaves the room. Everybody fidgets, even though vampires don't unintentionally fidget.

"Please, do not be alarmed, but this is a bit of an emergency." Aro says. He takes a deep breath. "The Romanians are amassing for an attack."

Fear is evident in the room. The Upper Guard even looks nervous. The last time the Romanians attacked, it was serious business. They'd almost killed Jane. Jane can only target one person at a time, and she'd had five of Vladimir and Stefan's minions coming at her. Alec had barely gotten to her in time to decapitate the others.

"Are we going to let lowly people such as the Romanians rule us? NO!" Aro says, trying to rally his guard. "While they are struggling to make an army, we already have an excellent, powerful, well trained army here! And we have plenty that flourish under our rule, and would be happy to help us!" Aro says, and a couple vampires at my sides start cheering.

"They want war, they'll get war. This is vampire war!" Caius screams, joining Aro, joy evident on his face.


	21. Bane of My Existence

**A/N: Sorry for taking so long! FFN IS A BITCH! I've been trying to put this chapter up since the 25th! Oh lordy lordy. The story is gearing up fast! :)  
**

**Disclaimer: There is always the Easter Bunny...**

_Bane of My Existence_

"Onward." Aro said, dying down the discussion. "We have ten members of the Upper Guard, and sixteen members of the lower guard, twelve present. Five of the upper and five of the lower will be paired to find representatives from other covens for our cause." Everyone quiets.

"We've paired those we think would work best together in the present situations." Caius says, taking out a note of paper. I can tell from the faces of Alec, Jane and Felix they had no idea of this. "Quinn and Heidi will be paired." No reaction from Heidi. Quinn buries her head in her hands. And I thought they were alike.

"Louis and Demetri." Caius says. "Elijah and Chelsea- and Elijah, don't forget the mission!" Caius finishes, snarling at the now quivering thing no more than a boy on Quinn's other side. Maybe Elijah isn't that bad after all. But what's the mission?

"Caius, that was rude. Let me finish. Santiago and Jedrek." Aro sighs. "And Alec and Bella." Worry. Confusion. Two weeks wondering the world with a vampire who hates me? Fun, fun, fun. We'd come home giggling with those "best friends" necklaces on. I almost groan, and Quinn amasses strength to give me a "comforting" pat on the shoulder.

"Those of you called can go and prepare for traveling." Aro says. I get up, along with Quinn and Elijah, but the twelve not called stay. Alec meets me at the door coolly.

"C'mon, we'll go get some traveling cloaks." He says, taking my hand and pulling me up an unfamiliar corridor. We enter a stone brick room, and find the others in it, searching through racks of clothing. Quinn beckons me over, and I leave Alec, happy for her company.

"Alright, lets see, in American sizes, this is a zero..." She says, throwing me light gray traveling cloak. I pull it on, it pinches my middle.

"Ouch." I say, pulling it off. It's replaced with a two. I pull that on, and it fits well. Quinn paws to find a tag in the back, and scrawls a longer than necessary number on a clipboard on the wall. She has her own cloak on, the hood pulled off. Her's is a shade darker than mine. I pull on my hood and a pair of running boots- checking in the number myself, and make my way over to Alec, who has his own stuff marked with "Alec" on the tags instead of numbers. The lower guard changes almost constantly, in vampire terms, but in the ever changing pool of guard members, the upper guard is a bit of a constant. I walk up to him, and he immediately sticks his hand down the neck of my shirt.

He pulls out the Volturi charm as fast as his hand went in. The medallion glints. His own is displayed predominantly on his chest. "Be proud of who you are." He states plainly.

"I'll meet you at the door. Pack a knapsack or something in your room." Alec says. I run up the stairs and find my room. I pull a small bag out of the bureau. I pack a hair brush and a guard uniform, and I think it through, grabbing a notebook and all off my pens. I grab my money. If we go to America, maybe I could use it too purchase a couple books.

I take off the hood and brush my hair down, spraying it quickly with some random hairspray I find in my cupboard. Its out of the way, but not looking sloppy in a pony tail.

Alec meets me at the big high door. Others are leaving as Aro stands there, supervising us. Felix is here too- talking to Santiago, a vampire I know by face and name, but not much else, as a hulking specimen of a person with deep scars on his body from human abuse stands beside him, arms crossed. This must be Jedrek.

Alec guides me to Aro. Aro has his own bag here- he takes out identification papers for us with fake names and passports, the like, and he hands us each a leather wallet. I examine mine quickly. It has a forged Italian drivers license and several credit cards. Another pocket is stuff with bills of various currencies. I put the wallet in my bag. Alec checks in with Felix. "North America." He tells Alec, who nods.

We leave the castle, and I run slightly behind Alec, as we run till we see the predawn light.

I don't remember running on water- but when we stop, my clothes are soaking, and Alec is rearranging our things in his pack. He throws me a pack and changes his clothing right in front of me- so I change too.

"Come on." Alec says. "We're going to meet the Leevy Coven today." The name is totally unfamiliar to me- and the look must've been evident on my face, so Alec said, "they don't have a lot of friends, so they never have any gossip or get any news. We can sway them easily. They aren't hostile." He finishes, and I nod.

We walk into NYC with some difficulty, but we finally skim the water separating us from the Leevy's. I follow Alec through the winding twists and streets, until we finally reach a swank looking condominium.

Alec takes the phone from the wall and punches in the Leevy's number from the diagram. I can hear the entire conversation.

"Ah, hello?" A warm feminine voice says through the speaker. She seems slightly weary though.

"My name is Alec. I am here on Aro's orders." Alec says. "Do you remember me? Or my sister, Jane?" He says quietly.

"Oh yes, yes, it was so very long ago. I've just pushed the button, please, please come in. Sixth floor, suite 602." The voice says, before hanging up, and the door 'pings' and swings and opens.

We ride up the elevator and push the button for our destination. Alec knocks on the gold plaited door that reads "602".

"Ooh, coming!" The voice from the phone says, pulling open the door. She's a bright and buzzed woman with long, shiny, black hair. Her red eyes shine. "Hello Alec." She smiles. "I'm Pamela. And you are?" She gestures too me.

"Bella. New recruit." Alec answers for me as Pamela gestures us in, patting the loveseat in the living room.

"Samuel! Chastity! Pamela yells, and the two appear suddenly. Samuel and Chastity both have auburn hair and pointy features. They take the armchairs as Pamela pulls in a dining table chair.

"Hello, Alec, and Bella. I am Samuel." The male says kindly. He holds out two hands, and we both shake. "That is my sister Chastity."

Chastity smiles sweetly. Then she opens her mouth. "Seriously, I can see the unresolved sexual tension like... revolving around you two." She says, snarkily.

Alec's fingers brush against mine.

"Ignore her." Samuel says. "Why are you hear, dare I ask?" He sighs, picking through his perfect hair.

"Aro is in the middle of a feud. He just wants too look like he has bigger ranks, you only need to fight if you want too." Alec says kindly too the man.

"I don't see any harm in the endeavor." Samuel says. "What do you think?" He asks Pamela earnestly. "Sounds nice." Pamela says kindly. Chastity sighs. "Outvoted. I just wanted these two to go away so I wouldn't have to suffer the sexual tension." Chastity says.

"Sounds nice then." Alec says, shaking hands with Samuel. "You can get to Volterra?" He says, grinning.

"Easily." Samuel says.

"Seriously you two, just make out already!" Chastity yells through the door as we leave.

Alec and I lounge in the trees of Central Park. Tomorrow we began our Canadian invasion. The conversational topic is uneasy. Finally, I jump to a conversational topic that begs to be met.

"What are we?" I ask Alec, looking at him uneasily, meaning in terms of our relationship.

Alec suddenly kisses me. He says under his breath, "In a perfect world, we'd be mates."


	22. Ponder

**A/N: Gah, crappy filler chapter! Either way, it's a chapter, and I hope you appreciate. We got Forks, we got angst, we got romance, we got Denali's. I guess its okay. Enjoy the chapter and check out my new Glee story, _New York Isn't Good To Girls_! :)**

_Ponder_

Chief Charlie Swan hadn't had a great month. All he wanted to do every night was drink a beer and fall asleep on the couch.

First the Cullen girl and her friends went missing, then Bella. The loss had hit Charlie and Emmett hard- Emmett had taken to locking himself in his room and Charlie could hear his soft tears when Emmett did. Neither ever said a word about it.

The same night Bella disappeared, Jasper Hale went missing. What was it with Forks and missing teenagers now? It had been about a month now, and Charlie finally decided to accept it.

I turned Alec's words over in my head. "In a perfect world, we'd be mates." What did he mean, anyways? A perfect world? This world sure wasn't perfect. Did he mean that he wanted to be my mate and was asking me? Or was he saying that he wanted to be my mate, but couldn't.

I can see him next to me, going through some things in his own knapsack. I muster up the courage to speak, the words dancing on my tongue and twisting in my stomach.

"Alec, what did you mean when you said that?"

Alec looks up, brushing a dark hair out of his, face, staring at me. He goes over his words, before finally deciding what he wants to say. "I was asking you to be my mate, Bella." His tone hides his real words that he would say to someone else, "_uh, duh, I want you to be my mate. Sometimes I wonder._"

He looks back down at his things, his features like an angel. He just asked me something serious. It was like he randomly pulled out a ring and asked me to marry him. I'd closed the proverbial box and told him I'd think about it.

I didn't know if I wanted to be with him- I'd seen all sides of him. The side that originally wanted to eat me. The side that kissed me at the ice cream shop. The side that pushed me off a bed. The side that danced with me. The side that turned a little girls hand to dust with a squeeze of his fingers.

I liked the good part of him. But the angry part wasn't one he had a good grip on. He was out of anyone's control, really. Except Jane's, maybe.

"Come on- lets get going. I want to find the Denali coven by tomorrow night." The Denali's. Kate, Irina, Eleazar, Carmen. I knew them, kind of.

When we got to the Denali's- a huge, unassuming farmhouse in the middle of the woods, we waited at the door for a moment, before Alec did a quick, double tap knock on the door.

A female opened the door, she had bright gold eyes. She was olive-skinned, with dark black hair. "Hello?" She said, more of a question than a statement.

Alec lowered his hood. The appearance of the Witch Twins was well known, and the woman took a quick breath, before opening the threshold to us. "Please, come in."

Alec crossed through the door and I shadowed him. I followed him into a sitting room, and we sat on a floral couch, as the members of the Denali Coven cautiously came in. I kept my hood up. Even though the cloak was a light shade of gray, it shadowed my face, so only my glowing red eyes would be seen.

Eleazar, the one Corin had brought in, spoke first, scrutinizing Alec. "Hello, Alec. What are you here for? Who is your friend?"

Alec nudges me, and I lower my hood slowly. "Hello, Eleazar. It is Isabella."

Eleazar grunts. "I remember you. Mind block."

I blink, as Alec speaks. "Isabella and I are here on official business. The Volturi would like to request for your support."

One of the pale blonde girls narrows her eyes. "Support in what, Witch Twin?"

Alec doesn't even bat his eye at the unmasked insult. "Why, in war, Kate." He says simply, almost smiling.

"War." Kate says. "With whom? And why?"

"The Romanians." Alec says. "They're wanting to take over again." Alec sighs heavily. "They're amassing a newborn army of sorts."

The other blonde speaks up. "And you want us too help you? Why us?"

"Don't be so flattered, Irina. We're going to every known coven throughout the world." Alec says.

"What's in it for us?" Eleazar says. I figure the one I hadn't heard Alec speak to without using her name was Carmen.

"Obviously you don't know about the rule of the Romanians, Eleazar. They outed themselves to humans, and forbade your "vegetarian" diet." Alec says.

"I see." Eleazar says. They all share intense glances. "We're in."

"Aro will be thrilled."

We spend the night with the Denali's. They give us a single bedroom, figuring that we're mates or something. We almost are.

I've made my decision.

When Alec is happy, he's a better person.

And I make Alec happy.

I'm making a service to the world.

And maybe one day it'll be a service to me.

"Yes." I say, looking up at him wearily.

"Yes what?" Alec says, looking up from a notebook he'd been writing a log for Aro in.

"I'll be your mate. I will." I tell him, swallowing anxiety.

"Oh Bella!" Alec exclaims, jumping up and hugging me fully, his arms wrapping around my neck, as he buries his head in the nook of my neck.

And for the first time, _I _kiss _him_. Its soft and hesitant, but oh, so, so lovely.

Maybe I won't regret this, ever.

We go throughout North America, and we recruit three more covens to the cause. All of them are hesitant and slightly hostile, but they're covens that will help defeat the Romanians again all the same.

When we return, Alec and I enter the castle hand in hand.


	23. The Midnight Flight of Isabella

**A/N: SQUEEE! Fluff! Spectacular fluff! I LOVE IT! I hope you enjoy the chapter, stuff is gearing up, and FAST.**

**Disclaimer: Nope.**

_The Midnight Flight of Isabella_

"I see you two have... made up." Aro greets up when we enter, his eyes lingering on our hands.

"Yes, we have, Aro." Alec says, glancing at Jane, who is standing next to Aro. Her pale brown locks are free and loose right now, cascading just past the tips of her ears. Several hairs are hanging in front of glowing reed eyes as she gives me a look that chills me to the bone.

She splits suddenly, and I follow her. We race up a grand staircase and I finally catch up to her, jumping her. We roll in the floor in the memory of our speed, with the force of our running, before we crash into a wall, struggling with one another.

"You... stinking... bitch..." Jane says, slapping me, as somebody finally intervenes. Alec, the only person daring enough pulls Jane off of me, and holy hell, she bites his hand. Alec screws his face up in concentration for a moment, and Jane shouts one last profanity before dropping to the floor like a stone.

"Whoa- whoa, Isabella, save that for a Romanian!" Aro says, shaking my shoulders, and I look down sadly. I'm ashamed.

"Just go, Bella. I'm sorry." Alec says, picking up his sister gently.

Sitting alone in my room, I had time to think without any distraction or preoccupation. There was something very urgent to remember to me- my brother's name. What was it? I'm flipping through hazy memories, trying to grasp it. It starts with an E... I called him Em sometimes... but what is his name?

I take out the phone, and call Alec. He picks up immediately. "What, Bella?" He asks, clearly busy.

"Alec, what was my brother's name?" I ask into the phone quietly, hoping he sense my desperation.

"Your brother's name is Emmett Swan." Alec says, and I hang up immediately. I take the phone, and scroll through the contacts... and I find Emmett. Thank the lord.

I dial the number, bracing my churning stomach as I hear the ringtone. And it keeps ringing. And ringing. Finally, it cuts too a prerecorded message. "Hi, I guess if your hearing this, I'm not here right now. Or something. Emmett Swan, leave a message after the beep or whatever." I hear the long shrill ring that is the "beep". I snap the phone shut and my eyes fill with tears that refuse to fall.

I don't regret it when I sneak out. They won't miss me at this point. Everyone is dealing with the sudden flux of our recruits, putting them in rooms, organizing a feeding schedule, setting down ground rules for life in the castle.

I run. I can't describe how fast I'm running, its surreal and crazy. But when I stop, I'm in Forks, staring at a house that stirs up nothing and everything at the same time in my memory.

And I break in too the third window on the second floor, and step into a green and brown room, my brother snoring in the bed. He's tall and muscled, with dark curly hair. How do I forget my twin?

And I don't regret a thing when I bite him, sling him over my back, and run again like hell, because, hell, I'm with my brother again.

That should help things.

What did I do with Emmett? I locked him away till I was ready for him. I felt horrid about the whole thing. You'll probably think I'm a horrible person for doing it. But I had everything worked out in my head. I knew how this was going to go down.

When I get back, I get a funny look from Alec, but nothing else. Nobody knows I was gone. Nobody knows what I did. Because I could get killed for it.

I sit in Alec's room, marveling at his books. He's in a high backed arm chair, reading one on his own. He told me its in Latin. I stare at the symbols, confused. Finally, I walked away to poke through his book shelf. There's a lot of stuff in Latin, and I swear that some of it's Greek, others in Italian and English, faded, pages yellowing.

Its beautiful.

I sit down at his bed and stare at the ceiling. Finally, I hear Alec get up and return the book to his bookcase. He gets on the bed too, lying down next to me. I turn my head and discover that he's staring at me. If blood was flowing through my veins I would have blushed.

The way our bodies are bent, our foreheads meet, our necks craned. I can see his eyes perfectly, as I hold both of his hands. Its serene and blissful. I close my eyes for a minute and the only sensation I register is Alec's cool breath against my face. He leans in closer, and our noses are touching now.

I wish I could freeze this amazing moment and live in it forever. This isn't kissing, the moment isn't heated. Its soft and delicate, young and warm, curious and cautious. I move my head down, pressing it slowly against his chest. His arms move and wrap themselves around me, and for a moment, we both stop breathing. We can't talk like this and we can't smell anything like this, but its too perfect. The feeling of the cloth of his shirt against my cheek is wonderful.

Nothing happens to report, really. Its a perfect moment, and it makes my day. And Alec knows someone cares about him after all. We were both satisfied with the moment. That much was enough.

It's so weird to see the castle full of people all the time.

Usually, there's only about sixty, seventy people in at once, but with both parts of the guard, the Volturi coven, and covens from throughout the world pouring in all the time, the castle is packed. I'd seen the guest rooms now, I'd gone down with Quinn once or twice to show people how to get everywhere they were allowed to go throughout the entire castle from their rooms.

The only places that were usually relatively not-clogged with people were the corridors around the the Upper and Lower guards rooms, the Volturi coven's apartments, and the throne room. Everywhere else, aside from the dungeons, the newborn ward, Aro's records room, and Afton and Corin's control center was fair game to hang around.

A vampire was once found, lost, outside of Caius's apartments, who immediately summoned Felix, who killed her on the spot.

Nobody particularly liked being around so many people. It was unnerving. Not to mention the number of times I'd been called to the oddest parts of the castle to help someone get back. While the Lower Guard, was, for the most part, mostly anonymous, the Upper Guard was, for all intensive purposes, a group of celebrities. I'd seen the strain of the whispers and vicious words on Alec only in private.

"Bella?" Quinn opens my door on her own and raps it for my attention. I look up from my laptop and hastily save the picture I'd been looking at. It was a photo of me, Emmett, and Charlie.

"Yeah, Quinn?" I say, trying to sound pleasantly surprised by Quinn's abrupt entrance into my sanctuary.

"Aro wants to talk to our part of the guard. We gotta go." Quinn says, walking over and grabbing my hand. I put the computer to sleep quickly and get up, Quinn leading me down the hall. Elijah is behind us with dead eyes and a curly haired brunette that I'd learned was Sabrina was walking beside us.

We meet Aro in the throne room. Renata shadows him as always. Aro is alone except for her however, and the throne room is almost a relief, tall, high ceilings, and only and ten people in it.

"Ah, my guard!" Aro greets us, smiling warmly. "Quinn, you look lovely today, don't tell Sully I said that." The horror, Aro winks at her. Quinn swallows softly.

"Master Aro, why have you gathered us here?" Sabrina asks softly, staring at Aro hesitantly. Her words ring around the room.

"Well, the Romanians are planning to lay siege on our city and they are preparing now. I want you out there to fight them while the upper guard assembles the other eight sectors and our volunteers. It'll take a couple days, tops." Aro said, his words sounding as if it was a choice. But it was really a demand.

We get dressed quickly. I'm led into yet another new room, this one is full of matches for fires. For killing vampires. I'm dressed in odd clothing, I think its too protect my limbs from being ripped apart. Padding at my pelvis, starch material to keep my arms attached to my shoulders.

I'm given a station on the outskirts of the city.

Now its time to wait.


	24. Lost His Mind

_Lost His Mind_

I sit and wait on my own. I can hear fighting on the other side of the city, but me and a man named Thaddeus were instructed to stay at this entrance no matter what.

Thaddeus is a hulking specimen of a Greek vampire, part of the third sector of the guard. He's been here for seven years. I used to see him around the castle and shiver. He never looked at me.

Thaddeus hasn't said a word. Its very late now, and the full moon shines in the sky.

Suddenly, Thaddeus comes to attention, as a foreign scent of a vampire enters my nose. Thaddeus stands and I join him, trying to do my best to look menacing. Thaddeus doesn't have to try.

I can see the vampire now, its a she, stumbling too us, eyes bright. She takes a moment to stare at us, before attacking me. I'm suddenly knocked on the ground from her sheer force, trying to push her off of me, but she's stronger, a new vampire than me.

Thaddeus pulls her off of me, holding her back, and yells, "Fire, make a fire!" I stumble with the matches in my hand for a moment, but I finally start a fire with the matches and a puddle of gasoline. Thaddeus holds the hostile vampire as I shakily pull her limbs apart, throwing the detached pieces in the roaring fire.

We slink away from the fire. "There aren't anymore." I say. "Just her. She must have gotten lost or something.

Thaddeus grunts, and we sit and watch the fire die down until Aro calls for us in the morning.

* * *

We are not replaced when we go inside. We're hustled in by Santiago, and the entire guard, along with our volunteers, are packed into the throne room.

Aro tries to rouse his tired and weary guard, his slightly scared volunteers. "Hello all, its nice to see all of you alive! Anyway..." I see several of the volunteers open there eyes wide, hear them gasp. "Afton and Corin, my lovely compoodor people, managed to get in contact with the Romanians!" Aro says excitedly, mispronouncing computer. "We're too meet them outside of the city in two hours for a proper fight, as they put it, but we're going to attempt peaceful relations first. They don't know that. Anyways, I'm giving you this time to meet up with the heads of your teams from the upper guard. I've already split up the covens, but please bare with me whilst I assign the lower eleven sectors." Aro says, smiling still.

"Sectors one through three of our lower guard are going with Felix!" Aro yells, clear for all too hear. "Four through six are with Jane! Seven to nine are with Chelsea! Ten and eleven, you're with Heidi!" The guard splits up, and I see Felix immediately, and I stride over too him, surrounded by others of my rank.

"Hi guys." Felix greets warmly. "Okay, you guys, I'm gonna give any of you that have mates the first half hour in case of goodbyes or too talk to each other or something. The rest of you can just hang around, I guess. Be back here in thirty minutes." Felix says, glancing at a clipboard. "I'm giving you guys this time because I gotta check in with Caius, and make sure every team has an appropriate amount of people. Don't throw it out." Felix walks away toward Santiago.

I find Alec in the throng of people in a corner exactly on the other side of the room. He's in charge of two decent sized covens, and a skinny blonde male is arguing with him.

"Who put you in charge of this thing?" He demands, glaring. "What were you, fifteen when you changed?"

"Sixteen." Alec says coolly. "Aro put me in charge of this team because I have been part of the guard for over four hundred years, and I am in extremely trust worthy. You've been here for five days, and you broke into the dungeons with your mate and drained several prisoners we have been saving for over two years."

"Maybe I don't want you on my team? You're a disgusting witch twin!" The man said, this time louder. Corin glanced over, unsure whether or not to step in.

"You could leave now, if you like." Alec said smoothly. "But you'd be walking right into the Romanians offensive forces, Dominic."

The vampire, Dominic snarls and walks away. Alec notices me. "Bella!" He exclaims, running over and pulling me into a deep, welcoming hug. "What are you doing here?" He asks. "You're with Felix, right?"

"He gave us time to talk to people. He needs to check in with a couple people." I smile, holding on too his chest.

"Oh, of course." Alec says, kissing me on the cheek. I feel like a middle school couple, I can see a couple of the members of Alec's group staring. I nudge him, and he follows my line of vision.

"Guys, this is my new mate, Bella. The only vixen who could tame a witches heart." He teases, smiling at the group now. I think this is the first time he's smiled kindly in public, in like... ever.

"You're new." One of them states. "Never met someone who looks like you before."

"She got changed a month ago, but she was part of the Volturi for five years. Don't get your britches in a bunch." Alec says. His group clearly doesn't like him. "I think I love you, Bella." Alec whispers into my hair, and I kiss his cheek softly.

"Don't worry about me right now. Worry about your asshole group. They look like they'll be allying with the Romanians as soon as we get there." I scorn to them. I peck him on the lips, and Alec tries to say something, but I've already disappeared into the crowd.

* * *

"Hello, Vladimir, Stefan." Aro greets the Romanian leaders. He's shadowed by Jane and Renata as he crosses the lonely field. "It has been awhile since we last saw you."

"I see Jane has gotten over her trauma." One of them, Vladimir, I think, spits angrily at the Witch Twin.

"You last saw Jane when she was barely changed. Her human abuse means nothing to her now, Stefan." Damn. I guess I was wrong. "We would like to negotiate for peace today, instead of war. Imagine what we could too do to our world if we were warring?"

"Why should we? Peace? You're the one sitting on trillions of dollars back at your castle, killing anyone who goes against your word!"

"I see where this stands then, Stefan." Aro sighs, signaling a quick flutter of a hand to Felix, who crouches on the ground.

Around me, vampires ready to fight. Those with long range gifts are preparing themselves.

I swallow my fear and open my eyes, my senses on high, alert and ready. It seems like an eternity as everyone waits for the other side to make the first move. Suddenly, Felix screams, a war cry, and as it throws the Romanian's newborns off, we charge.

I run, locking my eyes on a blonde my size. Seconds later, we crash into each other. She's barely trained, and I also have the newborn strength advantage on my side. We tussle for a few moments, and I disable her and sicken myself as I pull her head off. I throw it in the bonfire already started in the center of the clearing, dragging the rest of the body over, where others take it and I run back into the throng, repeating the sick process over, and over.

* * *

The battle was finally over, we'd won. Vladimir and Stefan had fled early on, and when there minions realized this, almost as a synchronized unit, they surrendered, begging for mercy against our forces. Felix was guarding Eleazar as he checked the newborns for gifts. Those who had gifts were put into a throng for questioning, but the majority was being led away, where they'd probably be killed, as soon as the other vampires would be far away to not know what was happening.

There were pieces of vampires littering the field. Some pieces were just lost pieces of people, fingers and ears. Others were entire limbs, even heads. It was horrific. There was one reason I was here: Alec was nowhere to be found.

I had to find him. I had to help. I even had a missing part of me, my right ring finger. Fighting with a burly red headed vampire, it'd snapped right off. The wound wasn't disgusting, just odd.

I slip away, and try to hear Aro and Demetri's conversation.

"Alec, how? How could he be missing? You can track down anyone, Demetri!" Aro exclaims angrily at the tracker.

"I can track anyone who's alive and thinking. But Alec's mind is gone." Demetri says calmly, but his eyes look heart broken.

I run, refusing too accept that it could be true. Alec just got lost.

I lock myself in my room, screaming. The whole castle can hear me, but I don't care. I won't accept it. Alec is not dead. Alec cannot be dead. Alec won't die. Alec was too rotten to die. Alec can't die. It's not an action Alec is capable of doing. I won't believe it. I won't stand for it.

I'd never accept it if he was.

I flop on the bed, screaming at the top of my lungs. The glass goblet on my table cracks as I wail.

I hear Quinn knock on my door, but my screaming turns from a high, keen wail to a, "Get the hell away!" on a broken record. No. No no no nononono_no_.

I sit on the couch alone, staring at Jane on the other couch. She's barefoot, showing feet missing toes. They've healed like stumps- not a vampire wound, this was torture she'd received as a human.

She's curled over, like a human feeling faint. Her eyes are closed, her hair is a mess, and she's just clothed in plain black robes.

Aro enters the room with Demetri and Felix from he and Sulpicia's bedroom. He looks grave, whiter than usual, his filmy eyes sad.

"Isabella, Jane." He says, but he doesn't smile. I feel sick. "I'm so sorry I had to call you in here." My stomach has dropped into my shoes.

"Cut to the chase." Jane says miserably, muffled.

"We believe Alec to be dead." Aro says, with a choke of a sob in his voice.

* * *

**Oh my god god god.**

**Yeah.**

**I just killed Alec.**

**Don't kill me.**

**Epilogue coming up next.**

**Oh and I just discovered the horizontal ruler button.**

**NEW FAVORITE FORMATTER!**

**Seriously, don't kill me.**


	25. Epilogue

_Epilogue_

_ (He sits down the smaller girl and kisses her forehead as she falls asleep in his arms on the balcony.)_

I sit in my room curled up.

Dead.

Alec.

The words don't relate. They shouldn't be in the same paragraph- forget the same sentence.

Alec is dead.

No.

_(Her warm breath tingles his empty skin.)_

* * *

_(He holds her tight as she cries about the girl that told her to stop wearing so much make up.)_

I knock on Alice and Jasper's door shyly, my heart thumping in my chest. "I want to go. And you do too." I tell them. I can't really stay here- it hurts too much.

Alice looks at the grimace on my face and pulls me into a welcoming hug. Jasper joins her, and they wrap there arms around me together, rocking me softly between them.

But they aren't as good at hugs as Alec is (not was. He's still in my memory.) I bury my head in Jasper's chest and cry, tears of venom with empty threats of falling.

_("Oh Isabella, I think you're beautiful, make up or no." he whispers through the curtain of her dark hair.)_

* * *

_(He knows how important her brother is, though he believes him to be an oaf.)_

Emmett Swan wakes from his trance of pain and delirium alone. He's in a dark place, literally, surrounded by darkness without a sliver of light, but sharp eyes pick up the stone all around him.

Where was he?

Emmett was lost.

_(But then again, Bella doesn't particularly care for Jane, either.)_

* * *

_(He stops her as she falls almost falls down the staircase with a gentle tug.)_

I rush down the stairs back to may room, my shoes clanging against the floor. Gianna looks up from her office in alarm, and seeing that it's me, signals for me to come in and talk to her.

I walk into the secretary's office shyly. Gianna has a coffee pot going, but its the silent type of machine, and the coffee, though it would be repulsive to drink, smells amazing.

I sit down on the garishly colored sofa, and Gianna gets up from her desk, sitting down next to me. She wraps fragile human arms around me, not flinching at my ice cold skin, as I take a moment to relax against her warmth, the blood pumping beneath her skin.

"I know how it feels." She whispers softly into my ear. "They killed my fiancee. I'm bound here by that. I'm not gonna let them have me too." She says, bring up her legs next to her, leaning against me. I'm an unresponsive stone.

"You poor, poor girl. They trapped us both, didn't they?" She says, her tan skin against me, pale as a ghost.

"They did." My voice cracks. "I learned their secret and so did you. And they found a use in both of us. I'm a mind block and you're a worker."

"Yes." Gianna whispers. "But Alec fell for you. And he pushed you off a cliff for him." Gianna says, her eyes closed now.

"It wasn't like that." I say. "He was just very vocal about how he felt, I guess. Some people thought he was pushing me. But I think it was my own decision."

"Oh! You poor darling." Gianna says, looking at me sadly.

"Gianna... will you come back with me, to my room?" I ask. "I don't think I can get there on my own now."

"Of course, honey." Gianna says, tears streaking from her green eyes.

_(She was too perfect to be like Natalia, drained dry by his colleague Afton.)_

* * *

_(He hugs her tightly, desperately, skin against skin. Her frantic, beating heart tries to jar his cold, dead, silent one.)_

My room is dreary, and it's started to rain. I pull the curtains shut, lying down on my bed. Gianna occupies the space next to me, and we stare at the off-white color of the ceiling together.

"Thank you Gianna." I whisper, straining my voice against my will. "You didn't have to do this for me. I didn't even really like you."

"It's okay, little Isabella." Gianna says. "Girls gotta stick out for each other." Gianna loops her hand in mine softly. "You needed someone who got it. And I don't think Marcus is that into talking about Didyme."

We lay in silence, until Gianna bids me goodnight. "I have to go to my chambers now. I'm sorry." She says. "That's the only place I'm allowed to get food, and my belly's touching my spine." With a short wink, she leaves my bedroom.

_(Isabella is still crying. "No one can hug like you, Alec." She sobs.)_

* * *

_ ("I should go now." She whispers to her mate. "Aro will want me." And she kisses him. He can't get over the sensation.)_

Jasper and Alice lay in the bed next to each other, staring into each others eyes. Alice closes hers slowly, Jasper watches her dark eye lashes with fascination.

"Poor Bella." Alice whispers, the simple two words resounding around the room.

_(The feeling of soft lips with his, somehow warm though both people are cold and broken.)_

* * *

_ (He watches her slow breath rise and fall.)_

Aro calls me too his rooms the next morning. I wait at the door silently, until he opens it, seeing me sitting down on the floor, eyes closed. He picks me up slowly, carrying me into the sitting room, sitting me on the vanilla couch. He sits down next to me, and picks up my hand, gasping.

"Bella- your shield- its down!" He says, looking at me. "You poor girl." Oh my god oh my god, did he notice my Emmett memories? If he did, he says nothing.

Aro puts my hand down gently, unsure of what to saw.

_(She closes her eyes, breathing hot breath on his face.)_

* * *

_ (Alec was watching her sadly as she cried. He wanted to kiss her... but he didn't think she'd let him.)_

_ Alec stares at the girl next to him in bed. Her head resting on his chest, his arms wrapped around a tiny body..._

_ She's so much younger than him. She's hardly fourteen. He was born around fourteen hundred. She's so fragile, so human. No make up on her face, and ugly scar exposed for the ceiling to see._

_ Alec loves the scar, as much as he hates to admit. She thinks it mars her face._

_ He thinks it makes it more beautiful._

_ (She cries over a stupid girl. Why does it matter to her when she's so beautiful?)_

* * *

_ (He sees her in the crowd, that mane of brown hair streaming in the wind.)_

Gianna never did return. Finally, I knocked on the door too Alice and Jasper's room quietly. Alice opened the door to the hall, peering in and giving me a long hug.

"What is it Bella?" She asks.

"Come with me." I say simply, and she and Jasper follow me down the hall and out the ornate main hall. The big door stands in front of us, waiting to be opened. "Wait." I say, and run into Gianna's room. She sits alone.

"Gianna... Do you want to become a vampire?" I say quietly in her ear.

Gianna turns at me in surprise. "Just what are you offering?" She asks in her heavy Italian accent.

"We're running away." I say oh so quietly.

"Oh, I'll come with, I promise." Gianna says, and I lead her back into the main hall. The four of us open the big doors and slip off into the sunlight, and run for heaven, for breath, for life, to get away.

Alec's love doesn't have to be attached to the Volturi.

_(He sees her running from his home and her prison.)_

* * *

_ (Isabella took him with her.)_

I lead them into the old abandoned castle, the place I left Emmett locked away, with the cold, heartless, simple intention I'd learned as a Volturi. I stepped down the stares quietly. I had so barely managed to bite Gianna before going down- we were going to camp here while she changed, and then we were going to move on. Somewhere else. America.

I see bright red eyes flickering in the darkness. A force suddenly collides with me, hugging me so tightly, grinning into my shoulder, sobbing dry tears.

"Bella! You came back for me!" Emmett's voice resounds around the chamber, hugging me tightly.

"Of course I would. I was just waiting for the chance." I lie smoothly. Hopefully this will be one of the last lies I will ever tell to him. Lying to Emmett pulls my heartstrings and tugs on my gut. I respond to the hug, clutching his shoulders.

"We're going to run Emmett, run away, from the bad people here. You, me, Jasper, Alice, and my friend Gianna." I tell him. "We're gonna learn to control ourselves... Protect the people from our desires, and we're gonna be good and happy. You'll fall in love with someone."

"I'm already in love with Rosalie." Emmett says firmly.

"Then we'll get Rosalie and change her too." I compromise. "By the way, we're vampires." I drop the news to him fast, trying to make it seem like nothing.

"Wait. What?" Emmett backtracks.

"Um, I kinda got changed into a vampire when I was kidnapped and then I ran back to Forks and kidnapped you and changed you into a vampire and Alice got kidnapped by the same vampires as me for some reason and I told Jasper Alice was a vampire so he got changed too." I blather, trying to get it all out in the shortest time possible.

"Bella... I'll pretend I understand that."

_(And strangely... Alec didn't think he minded.)_

* * *

_ (He tries to speak, but she cannot hear him.)_

_ He knows he is gone, but Alec just wanted her to know he was still there. Watching. Listening. Helping. He wishes he could tell her he was sorry he died. He wished she knew Jane blamed her and was cursing her name as she spoke to her oaf of a twin brother._

_ (His words are but empty air that pretends to echo sounds.)_

* * *

_ (One last breath in, one last breath out.)_

Gianna opens her new vampire eyes.

_(He closes his eyes, waiting for the fire.)_

_fin._

* * *

**A/N: OH MY FREAKING GOD.**

**I FINISHED ITALIAN ICE.**

**There is so much to say.**

**First of all, I dedicate the story to: Rachael (Who helped spark my Alec/Volturi crazy in the first place!) Ellie/ProneTwoInsanity (My beautiful alpha, best friend, and former wife.) Millie/Lycoris B (who gave it a chance even though it was Twilight.) Maura/themelodiousmeadow (who beta'd a large portion of the story) and finally, Bell 1, crazyperson17, BadassAlec, and** **xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, who were some of the stories first reviewers and still review now. I'm sure there are others, but you know who you are!**

**I am going to shift my focus to my new story New York Isn't Good to Girls, a Glee fanfic, but I hope to continue writing for Twilight. If you message me a prompt, I'll try to write a oneshot for it! I'm thinking about several one shots to go along with Italian Ice. Sadly, there won't be a sequel. **

**Its been almost a year since I started writing this story. It is so much too me now. You can see my writing evolve in the story.**

**I love all of you so, so, so much for giving me these wonderful reviews and favorites.**

**Final Stats as of 5/8/2011 11:49 AM EST:**

**Reviews: 423**

**Alerts: 355**

**Favs: 368**

**Communities: 5**

**Hits: 97,194**

**TOO END THIS LONG ASS AUTHORS NOTE: I LOVE YOU ALL!**


	26. SEQUEL INFO PLEASE READ

I know what you guys are thinking...

WTF? WHY ARE YOU UPDATING ITALIAN ICE?

...I've started a sequel. I know I said I wouldn't, but the characters were like, trying to kill me.

Anyways, it probably won't be published for about a month, at very least. I'm calling it "The Phoenix of the Volturi".

Here's the current summary: A vampire can burn. A vampire can't die. At least, not forever. If given the chance, a vampire can rise from his own ashes. Alec/Bella

Anyways, I only started officially writing this on the 28th. I want to get more of New York and This Isn't Right published before I start officially writing this. This story will be more Alec-centric than Bella. Here's a preview:

_ When disassembled, a vampire seeks to put itself together. But the average vampire, once its been completely disassembled and burnt loses its consciousness and can't reassemble._

_ However one Alec Volturi refused to succumb to the nothing. The nothing succumbs to him, taking over and disabling his victims—and Alec wasn't going to let the only thing that he thought he could always count on be his undoing. Alec was too strong for that._

_ He was Alec Volturi, a feared witch twin, a strong Volturi, a willful fighter. He kept his conscious, and he's damn right going to rise from his own ashes._

_ The Romanians had left a huge pile of Volturi ashes in the middle of the field. The ashes weren't simply going to be swept away, and Aro had been planning to hold a proper memorial, until the disappearances of the Volturi's receptionist, Gianna, and three members of the lower guard ran away and distracted everyone for several days._

_ Quinn had been sent to start retrieving the ashes when she saw... It._

_ It was a grayish blob, shaped vaguely like a human. As she approached it, it twitched, and in a broken voice it said, "Please get Aro and Jane."_

_ Though shaken, Quinn agreed, and searched the castle for Felix, the leader of the guard and the only person who could give her access to those people. "Quinn, I thought you were gathering the ashes for Master Aro?" Felix said when she finally found him._

_ "I was starting too, but there was something in the ashes... and it told me to find Master Aro and Jane." Quinn said hurriedly. "Felix... do you suppose its possible for a vampire to heal itself after being burnt?"_

_ They found Aro and Jane immediately. Quinn led everyone down to the clearing, nervously to the pile of ashes. Sure enough, the lump was still there. As Jane knelt in front of it, it spoke, raising the beginnings of a hand. "My sister, I finally see you again."_

Anyways, I'm going to need a beta for this new story, seeing as me and Maura who beta'd most of Italian Ice have lost contact. If you want to beta or have any inquiries or questions about the sequel, etc. feel free to PM me.


	27. FINAL AUTHORS NOTE

**Final Author's Note**

**First: I'm so close to being in the top ten of a writing contest! The winners get iPads, so I'm trying to get to the top ten so I have a chance of being a finalist. I know over 300 people are subscribed to this, so if 30 of you guys were to vote for me, I would almost definitely be a finalist! :O **

**figment (.) com (/) books (/) 122355 (remove paretheses and spaces) all you have to do from there is create an account and click the "heart" button. Seriously, I'll love you! :)**

**Second: I AM PUT THE PHOENIX OF THE VOLTURI UP RIGHT AFTER THIS. GO READ, MY SWEETS.**

**~Prism**


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